It Takes a Village to Raise a Child
by eaanderson7895
Summary: What if all of the clans came together and had a baby? How on earth will the Leaf Village ever survive chaos to this extent? AU, just something I came up with!
1. Chapter 1: At the Beginning

Chapter 1: Meetings and Reactions

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Hello all! This was just kind of an idea that I had, and I just said 'what if..?' and started typing away. This is what happens 18,000 words later! Just a bit of background information before you read this AU-ish story: Minato and Kushina live, the Uchiha clan massacre never happens, Sasuke never gets Orochimaru's curse mark, and the Konoha twelve are all 25/26. There have been some arranged marriages for some of the people, just a warning! Anyways, I just kind of liked the idea of a baby between all of the clans and a few non-clan people, but if you don't, please feel free to go on on ahead and leave this page :)

And because I'm a noob, I'll just go ahead and say right now that I don't own the mainstream characters, or the original plotline of Naruto.

Please enjoy! :)

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The yelling and shouting of threats could be heard around the village, raising from the dull roar from a few minutes earlier. The Meeting of the Clans was going nowhere. Murderous glares were sent from all sides of the room, and the insults had gone from small, haughty statements to overly dramatic and petty. Not all of the clans were fighting; in fact, the Ino-Shika-Cho were getting along as smoothly as always. No, the fighting was limited between two clans: the Uchiha and the Hyuga. They were fighting about which clan was superior, and whose heir most deserved to be the fifth Hokage. Speaking of the heirs, both Itachi and Hinata looked absolutely miserable as their fathers kept fighting and the aggression only seemed to escalate from there.

Tenten sighed and wondered if the meeting would even be useful in the end. After all, the agenda for the day was to end the power struggles and infighting between the Hyuga and Uchiha. Yet here both clans were, fighting about the same old things they had always fought about. Along with Sakura and Naruto- who had yet to arrive- Tenten was to serve as a neutral party in the matter. Other shinobi such as Gai, Asuma, Kurenai, and Kakashi had not been invited, with the only response from the Konoha Council being that it was an issue to be solved by the future leaders of the village. Tenten secretly wished they were here, so that she would at least have more people to rely on in the debate. The yelling was beginning to wear on her patience, and she couldn't help but to discuss it angrily with Sakura.

"How can they still be going at it?! It's been twenty minutes already, and there's no sign of the Hokage or the Council!"

"I don't know why it's taking them so long to get here, but that damn idiot Naruto better have a good explanation for why I'm involved in this!"

"It's such a shame to see so many people being caught up in this mess, and over such a silly argument, too."

"It isn't a silly argument, Tenten; it's a conflict between two clans that will determine the fate of the village." Neji said, appearing behind her chair.

"Exactly. And the Uchiha are clearly more capable than the Hyuga at being leaders." Sasuke claimed, sending Neji his infamous 'Uchiha glare' for good measure.

"Would you care to test that theory?"

"Gladly."

In a matter of moments, Neji was using his Gentle Fist technique while Sasuke aimed a Fireball at his opponent. A similar fight was occurring between Hiashi and Fugaku. Kunai and shuriken were flying and lodging themselves into the walls and furniture. The sound of shattering glass hardly attracted any attention at all, until some of it landed on Shikamaru and woke him from his nap. Soon, there were several small fires in the room, and much of the furniture had been burnt, broken, or both.

Minato opened the door and took in the scene before him. It seemed that even when the Konoha Twelve had reached their early twenties (and the clan leaders were middle-aged) that some rivalries never changed. With a sigh, he beckoned Naruto and the Konoha Council into the room. Quickly, they took their seats, with Minato at the very head of the table, Homura and Koharu sitting on either side of him, and Danzo sitting by Homura.

Naruto slunk off to the back of the room with Sakura.

"What took you so long to get here, you big blockhead?!" Sakura shouted while punching him square in the jaw.

"Geez Sakura, why do you always have to be so harsh?!" He cried as his nose bled and his cheek became swollen.

"Children, if you could please direct your attention to Lord Hokage, we might actually be able to begin the meeting," Homura grumbled.

"Yes, if none of you have any objections..?"

Hiashi cleared his throat. "Lord Hokage, it was the Uchihas that started it all! They-"

"If I am not mistaken, Hyuga, your prodigy over there was the one who attacked my son-"

"No, your son clearly had his Sharingan-"

"Your nephew had the Byakugan-"

"ENOUGH!" Minato shouted from his seat at the head of the long meeting table. "Both of your clans are at fault for engaging in combat, regardless of who started it. It is this type of behavior that has prompted the Council and I to call this meeting amongst the clans."

"If this meeting is to be solely amongst the clans, what are they doing back there? " Fugaku growled, pointing in the direction of Tenten and Sakura.

"They also play a critical role in resolving this conflict." Minato replied evenly, his features calm an in control, contrasting the expressions of Hiashi and Fugaku.

"How can they? They're hardly even old enough to be called adults!" Hiashi glared up at the Hokage.

"Their input is just as important in the matter as Hinata's is. And like Hinata, they too may take an active part in the resolution the Council and I have come up with."

"Hokage, your words are vague, please elaborate on this solution of yours," Shikaku stated. Choza and Inoichi nodded in agreement.

"With all due respect, Lord Hokage, the Aburame clan would prefer to remain detached from this argument." Shibi said, while Shino simply stared at the table, completely silent as per usual.

"While I understand why you would wish to do so, I'm going to have to deny your request. In order for this solution to have optimal effectiveness, the elders and I need full participation from everyone in this room. Before I begin to explain our solution, I need everyone here to sign this form of compliance." Minato handed out a form to each individual.

Fugaku raised a brow at this. "And if we don't sign it?"

"Then you lose all status in the village. Any clan members that you have in any rank, be it Genin, Chunin, Jonin, Anbu, and even Academy Student, will be immediately stripped of their title and incarcerated with prisoners of war and enemies to the village. Such will be the fate of anyone who refuses to sign."

"Father, it'll be less of a hassle if you simply comply," Itachi stated smoothly.

With a resigned sigh, Fugaku signed the form and handed it to Minato.

Said man smiled kindly. He hated that it had to come to this, but he was excited to see the outcome of the solution.

"Alright. We've signed your forms. So what's the solution?" Shikamaru yawned. He wanted this meeting to be over with already. It was such a drag to be there when he could be watching the clouds or taking a nap.

"As many of you are aware, arranged marriage is often used to ensure diplomatic ties between clans. The child produced by the marriage would often solidify the bond,and peace would ensue. However, such a tactic used to be limited to bilateral relations between two clans. With a new medical breakthrough by none other than Lady Tsunade herself, this innovation can extend to all here today. As a peace offering from myself to the clans, Naruto has agreed to participate it as well."

"That makes me feel _so_ much better," Sasuke sarcastically remarked.

"Shut up, bastard!"

"Make me, loser!"

"Will the two of you calm down and listen to Lord Hokage?!" Itachi's words, although calm and even, held a hint of a threat. Both Naruto and Sasuke knew that nothing good ever came out of defying Itachi, and quieted within a second. "Thank you."

Fugaku turned away from his sons, irritation written all over his face. "So you're basically telling us that all of the clans would be represented in this child? How is that even possible? And more importantly, who will take responsibility for the kid?"

"It would be a shared responsibility between the clans. Each clan leader will be allowed to present their genetic contribution to Lady Tsunade, and from there, a surrogate mother will be chosen to carry the baby and do basic tasks like breastfeeding."

Danzo rose. "Since none of the clans seem to be in compliance with the mandate, it has become clear to me that they have all become uncontrollable. We must incarcerate them this instant Lord Hokage!"

"Lord Danzo, just because one generation is not willing doesn't mean that the other will refuse. There's a reason why all of the next-generation clan leaders have been included in this meeting. You are all a part of the future of the village, and I wish for you all to be involved in the solution."

"But what of the marriages and children that some of us already have? I can't leave my son when he's only two years old!" Ino interjected, causing some of her peers to cry out in agreement.

"I refuse to have my grandson abandoned for the sake of supporting unity between the clans!" Hiashi yelled.

"I thought governments were supposed to oppose having children born out of wedlock, not support it," Sasuke mumbled.

Turning to his younger brother, Itachi smiled a little. "While that is true, it is more important to ensure peace within the village." Itachi stood, addressing the entire room this time. "I understand why many of you would be opposed to the concept of this treaty, especially as a father and the future head of the Uchiha Clan; however, I also understand why this measure was created, and I agree with it being necessary. A treaty is simply a piece of paper filled with empty promises and faulty consequences that are seldom upheld on either end. Your child is the most precious thing to you- and your need to protect that child becomes the sole purpose of your life. It's that difference that in the end makes this the most effective solution for all of the clans, and for the safety of the village. I promise nothing but devotion to the child, and I encourage all of the clans to do the same."

Naruto shrugged, reclining his chair at a dangerous angle. "Well, I guess he has a point. I mean, if everyone is part of it, why would it be a problem?"

Neji scoffed. "It's not so simple, moron. There is more to being a Hyuga than bearing the name. Besides, I doubt that those without children are ready for one, and those who are already parents don't seem too keen on having another out of wedlock."

"That's true, but the alternative is even less appealing than parenthood." Tenten could feel how the atmosphere of the room had shifted from tense and ready to fight to apprehensive and confused.

"I agree with Itachi, preserving the peace is of the highest importance. But is having a child the only way to accomplish this?" Ino could remember the mood swings and backaches she had during her pregnancy with Shigeru. Not to mention the way her son had been colic the first year of his life. Even now, the terrible two's were destroying her inside, and her husband Tadashi was incredibly unreliable. Though Ino was fond of her peers, she saw how flaky some of them proved to be, and she knew that some couldn't handle the stress of parenthood. Considering the fact that this child would be born out of wedlock, Ino didn't know whether or not Tadashi would remain as loyal as his name claimed. She also was wary of how needy and whiny Shigeru was, and didn't think the boy was ready to have a younger sibling take her attention away from him.

Sensing the distress in the room, Inoichi felt the need to throw out other options. "Lord Hokage, it isn't that I don't enjoy being a grandparent, but despite their faultiness, are treaties not more prudent and simple options?"

"We've had thirty eight treaties and official documents focused solely on resolving the matter, with minimal success, if any at all. There's even a clause within the Konoha Civil Code of Conduct dedicated entirely to this conflict. It is due to the limited success of these measures that the Council and I have no choice but to create the mandate. "

"What a drag. Now I have to be a father again?! I won't be able to get a full night's rest for another two years now."

Choji laughed lightheartedly. "We were going to have more kids eventually Shikamaru. I guess that this will just take the waiting out of it."

Kiba growled in irritation. "Why do I have to be involved in this?! Isn't Hana the head of the clan? She should be the one having kids, not me!"

"Your sister's already three months pregnant, with the heir to the clan. There's no way she can be involved in this, you ungrateful little runt!"

"The Inuzuka's bring up a good point." Hiashi stood, walking to the front of the room and addressing the entire assembly. "If the clans are to participate, what of inheritance and heirs? Surely this child cannot become the head of multiple clans, especially considering the laws some clans have set regarding such matters."

"Part of the agreement is that this child will only be able to inherit what is allotted to it by each clan, and shall not be considered the first in line by right of inheritance. If individual clans have rulings regarding any rights of passage, the child will undergo the ceremony as any other clan members would. You need not worry about sabotaging the main houses of your clans, if that is a concern."

Fugaku and Hiashi both looked uneasy, and for once agreed upon one major question that as of yet had remained unanswered. "Is it allowed for another clan member to take the place of the current heir?"

Minato was disappointed, seeing as how both Hinata and Itachi already had their own heirs. With a sigh, he consented to their wills, figuring that clan participation was most essential to the solution. "Yes, as long as they consent to the contract."

Koharu spoke. "I believe that the matter has been discussed thoroughly. At this point, we will be receiving each clan's candidate, and a decision from the young ladies in the back. "

Tenten panicked. How could she decide whether or not she wanted a baby in the course of an hour?! People spent years of their lives preparing for a moment like this, and she'd barely had twenty minutes! Worse of all was that she had no one to ask. Wait- Sakura was there, maybe her decision would help to put things into perspective. "What are you going to do, Sakura?"

"I'm going to wait until the end, and see who else is being involved in this." Gee. What a fat lot of good that did.

"Right. Ok."

There was a low mumble in the room, as the clans decided who would be parent the child for their clan. The Uchiha's and Hyuga's in particular seemed to be having... lively and spirited conversations. Five minutes passed, with Koharu calling the meeting to order by banging her gavel.

"I will now call out each individual clan, and ask for the representative's name. Aburame clan?"

Shibi and Shino stood. "My son, Shino, will be a father to this child," Shibi declared.

"Akimichi clan?"

Choji's eyes hardened with determination "I will."

"Hyuga clan?"

"Neji Hyuga." Hiashi said from his seat.

Tension rose within the room, but the Hyuga's remained silent. Hiashi's look of resolve and Hinata's sad expression said it all: Hiashi had refused to allow her to parent a child that wouldn't be eligible to inherit the clan. Neji's face seemed impassive, but Tenten could see the irritability behind it. Even though he was upset about being a part of this solution, the guarantee of his participation made Tenten's mind: she too would be a part of this. Who knows? Maybe being in on this together would make it more fun?

After a few moments of awkward silence, Koharu spoke. "Moving on. Who is going to be the Inuzuka representative?"

"This whimpy little excuse of a man," Tsume laughed while pointing at Kiba, who grumbled something about the former scaring her husband off.

"And as for the Nara clan?"

"I guess I'll do it, since I have no other choice." Shikamaru scowled.

"Uchiha clan?"

"Sasuke Uchiha."

After Fugaku made this declaration, all hell broke loose. Many of the other males who were representatives started complaining, and Ino and Sakura both seemed to perk up slightly at the thought. The chaos only elevated from there, with Hiashi and Fugaku angrily shouting insults at each other, with Hinata and Itachi trying to calm them down. Neji and Sasuke looked like they were about to start fighting again when the loud banging of a gavel cut them off.

"DECORUM!" Minato shouted, immediately silencing everyone. He was fuming. Things had been going so well before, but the Uchiha's statement had apparently been too much for the trigger happy Hyuga's. "Being a part of this agreement means that you will have to deal with each other, and be able to speak to each other calmly. You might as well start here and now."

He sighed and looked around the room. "We still need the Yamanaka's representative. Inoichi?"

"Ino will be our representative."

"Thank you. Now that we have all of the representatives from the clans, we still have the two young women to hear from in the back. Ladies?"

"I consent to this agreement," Sakura declared, making eye contact with Ino. While Sakura's decision would have surprised some, Ino knew that her friend had been longing for a baby. When she first told the other about her pregnancy with Shigeru, Sakura confessed her envy towards Ino, but was happy for her friend nonetheless. As Shigeru's godmother, Sakura was as doting as any mother could be, and she always saw that her godson had every need and whim fulfilled. Ino jokingly blamed Sakura for making her son a spoiled brat, but she was happy that Sakura was a reliable adult in her son's life. Ino shifted her gaze to Tenten, who looked like she was about to faint from nervousness.

The Yamanaka wasn't the only one who was focused on Tenten, and all eyes in the room were now on her- which didn't escape the young woman's notice in the least bit. Why did they have to do this by roll call? Couldn't they have just let everyone write down their decision on a piece of paper?! Tenten looked up- and regretted it almost instantly.

The person closest to her was Sakura, who seemed to give her an expectant look. It was as if the medic wanted her to just say yes or no instantly, and Tenten was slightly annoyed by it. As another unmarried woman, Sakura should respect the complexity of Tenten's situation!

Moving on to another group of people, her eyes caught those of Itachi. Tenten had never really known him well, since she'd never been on a mission with him and had never talked to him, but he still intimidated her. Although he wasn't doing anything that would cause her nervousness, the look he gave her was quite intimidating for reasons Tenten didn't understand. Was he trying to tell her not to do this, or to be the surrogate of his brother's baby? Speaking of his brother, Sasuke had a devil may care attitude about him- and probably for good reason. It was no secret that his mother Mikoto often took care of his son, and beyond that, Sasuke had been married for almost five years, so he had other people to rely on when he needed help with his kids.

Fugaku's face was the most unsettling for Tenten. She could tell that he was planning something, and it rubbed her the wrong way. Everyone in the village knew that the Police Chief was a harsh man, and at times had the tendency to be ruthless. Tenten's father told her about him when he had gone into their weapon shop to get new weapons for the police force. When he had asked for the blades to be forged, he requested that they be sharper than scalpels, and had asked for multiple sheets of blank seal paper. He had also paid a hefty sum that was intended to keep this whole thing quiet, which her father had obliged him in. For whatever reason, Tenten couldn't trust this man, and she turned away from the Uchiha.

The person whose eyes she caught next belonged to Tsume Inuzuka. Tsume was well known for being outspoken about everything, and when Tenten had spoken to her briefly at her father's forge, she felt awkward. There was something about the head of the Inuzuka Clan that made her feel weird. Tsume had told her that though it was a man's world, 'bitches ran the show', and tried to get a rise out of Tenten, who ended the conversation by simply giving the woman her new kunai and all but kicked her out of the store. Kiba sat next to his mother sullenly, displeased about becoming a father.

Next to them sat the Aburame, who were as reserved as usual. Shibi seemed to be preoccupied with his own thoughts, and had looked away from her at some point. Shino, however, gave her an unsettling stare that made shivers run down her spine. It wasn't that she didn't like Shino, but he was just so quiet and reclusive that it made her feel off. After a few seconds, he too looked away.

The Nara were much easier to look at than the other clans had been. Shikaku seemed to be encouraging her, while Shikamaru gave her a slight smile. On one mission she had gone on with him, he was her captain and they shared third watch as the rest of their team slept. It was then that they started talking about family, and Shikamaru complained about how troublesome Kaori and especially Kanako were. Tenten told him how she would love to start a family, and about her feelings for Neji, and he replied that while the latter would never show it externally, he cared deeply for her. At the time, Tenten didn't know if it was true, but she was happy that Shikamaru would attempt to make her feel better about her life.

Choza and Choji seemed to be the brightest in the room, as they openly gave her wide and encouraging grins. Choji had once stopped by the forge with his daughter Haruna, and the two of them had a long and carefree conversation. Haruna became bored of not being included, and told Tenten that she was pretty enough to be a mommy. Tenten had asked why she had said that, to which Haruna replied "All mommies have to be pretty, and if you're pretty, you have to be a mommy! It's part of the rules!" Tenten didn't have the heart to tell the child that there was no such rule, and simply thanked the little girl. Choji knew that his daughter had hit a soft spot, and apologized to Tenten, but she waved it off and complimented him on having such a beautiful and sweet child.

Glancing at the Yamanakas made Tenten feel annoyed, as they looked at her with pity. If anyone should be pitied, it should be Ino with her awful marriage.

Tenten remembered when she, Sakura, Hinata, Ino and Temari had gone out drinking for a kind of girl's night out. After countless shots, Ino had began crying about what a douche Tadashi was, and how Shigeru was so clingy and whiny that she didn't know what to do. She continued to tell them about the way Tadashi was always giving her asinine excuses about leaving her alone with their needy son, and how he rarely ever did anything to care for their child. There wasn't anything Ino could do at the time, because her pre-nuptials required them to be married for five years before divorce would be considered, and they had only been married for three. At the end of the night, all of them staggered home drunk, save Hinata since she was only a bit tipsy, and Ino begged Tenten to never tell anyone about what she had said.

But as Ino looked at her now, with that gaze of pity, Tenten felt the care behind it. Ino knew the stresses of motherhood better than anyone, and didn't want that for her friend. Ino had openly told her on a mission they had recently that Tenten wasn't ready to be a mother, especially since she was single. Insulted, Tenten had tuned her out for the rest of the mission, and actively ignored her since, but she couldn't help but feel the nagging concern that maybe Ino was right. Could she really sacrifice part of her career as a shinobi for someone else. As a single parent, Tenten would be reduced to missions inside the village, and maybe as the child got older some surveillance around the border, instead of the S-class ones she had started taking on with gusto.

The last group of people she glanced at were the Hyuga's. Hiashi looked as impassive as ever, yet he still seemed curious. Tenten had spoken to him a few times, and while he wasn't as mean as he looked, he still had a very stern air about him as he asked what her relationship to Neji was. She kind of stuttered, and tried to make it look as if they were just friends, but Hiashi had easily seen through her attempted ruse. He explained that no matter how close they were, the Hyuga clan had a tradition of arranged marriage to uphold, and advised her to stop seeking out his nephew. He left her standing there defeated, and Hinata walked over to cheer her up, stating that under her rule, she would make it possible for them to be together.

Even when Tenten considered the possibility of being with Neji, one essential puzzle piece had yet to be factored in: Neji's feelings for her, if they were there. They had never gone on a date before, and didn't do anything particularly romantic as a couple, but Tenten couldn't help but wonder if she was something more than a friend to him. After long training sessions they had as genin, he would sometimes go with her to get gelato, and a few weeks after their first Chunin exams, he started to greet her with more affectionate gestures. Nowadays, he would often place his hand on her shoulder whenever she was near, and would invite her to Hyuga Clan celebrations whenever he was allowed. That had to mean something, right?

It seemed as if everyone in the village knew about her feelings except for him. They made eye contact, and Tenten was more confused now than she ever had been. She saw the apprehension in his eyes, but she also knew what he was trying to tell her: she was in way over her head. Neji knew he had communicated this thought, and reclined slightly into his chair, all the while keeping eye contact with her. But Tenten actively ignored this message, seeing the nervousness he repressed, and finding the fear of loneliness that he could hide from everyone but her.

Swallowing her fear, she made her mind. "I will be a part of this as well," Tenten said. Neji's eyes visably widened, and he sent her a look that made it clear they would talk about this- a look that he rarely used with her. She pretended not to see it, and looked at the rest of her peers. Itachi's reaction was unreadable, but he didn't seem to be angry, and Sasuke still looked as if he didn't care. Kiba was still pouting, while Shikamaru and Choji smiled at her. Ino was shocked, and gave her a worried look. Hinata beamed at her, pride evident in her face, and Sakura's smile was genuinely impressed. Naruto, for reasons unknown to her, was completely silent the entire time, seemingly wrapped up in his own thoughts.

The Hokage smiled at her in a way that was slightly patronizing, and addressed the entire room. "Very well. Report to the Hospital by 8:00 a.m. so that you may give your samples to Lady Tsunade. Thank you for being here today, and please, tell your clan members about this as soon as possible. Have a nice night!" Minato beckoned Naruto over as the room began clearing out, and Tenten lingered behind for a moment. She felt a tap on her shoulder, and turned around only to see Neji and Hinata.

"Hey Neji! I-"

Neji cut her off. "Tenten, are you certain you're ready for something like this? Parenting won't be easy- especially with a group like this." His tone was angry, and it caught her off guard. She knew that he was unhappy with her decision, but she was a grown woman, damn it! He should respect that, at the very least.

"Are you saying that you don't think I can do this?" At the thought of what she had just said, Tenten's heart broke. How could he say such a thing?! Had he not told her to lead her life the way she wanted just a few weeks prior? Under his scrutinizing gaze, Tenten felt like a foolish child in over her head. Neji's patronizing expression made her feel smaller than she ever had before.

"I'm saying that I don't think you're ready for something like this." Neji placed his hands on Tenten's shoulders. "I'm worried about you, Tenten. I just wanted you to know that."

"I- I know you do but I just thought" _I just thought that you would be lonely with the baby, and that we could have a sort of family together. I just thought of all of the times where you talked about starting your own family and looked at me meaningfully after saying so _"... that maybe" _That maybe we would be happy with each other, that maybe we could find peace amongst this chaos together. Maybe I thought that you and I would find part of ourselves in this baby, and have a fairytale ending. I just thought that maybe..._"nevermind."_That maybe I could finally found out if you returned my feelings_...

Neji sighed, rubbing her shoulder slightly. Tenten didn't want to think about any hidden meanings behind the gesture. she closed her eyes and just focused on how warm his hand was, and how soothing it felt to have him kneading small circles onto the stressed area. She started to relax into his hand. Opening her eyes, Tenten saw Neji give her a sad smile as he slid his hand from her shoulder down her arm, taking her hand in his for a moment. And just like that, it was gone. Neji turned and walked over to the watercooler in the corner of the conference hall as Hinata's hand replaced his. Tenten smiled at Hinata, who had become one of her closest friends as of late, and was taken by surprise when the latter embraced her tightly. "If it helps, I believe that you can do it Tenten," Hinata chimed, a gentle and warm smile lighting her face. Pulling away, Hinata held Tenten at arm's length.

Tenten returned the smile. "Thanks, Hinata."

"Hinata, Neji, we're leaving now," Hiashi barked. With that, they walked away, leaving Tenten deserted. She figured she might as well go home, too. As she was about to head over to je apartment, she remembered that it was Thursday night! Now she had to explain to her parents why she, an unmarried twenty-six year old woman was parenting a child to multiple elite clans. As if the night couldn't have been made any harder. On her walk over, the realization of what she had done struck her, and she panicked in a way not unlike a teenager would have.

What had she done? How could she explain this to her parents? 'Hey Mom and Dad, guess what? At the meeting of the clans I decided to become a parent, because otherwise I would have ended up in federal prison! Aren't you proud of me? ' yeah, right. Her parents were going to kill her, and she would probably end up crying alone on the couch tonight. For a moment, Tenten wished she had been born into a clan- that way she would at least have an excuse for making the decision that she made. She would even be seen as a martyr- sacrificing herself for the sake of the clan and bearing the child to preserve the peace within the village. Instead of that scenario, she would forever be estranged from her family, and be stuck alone and miserable raising the child with nine other people. To top it all off, she would probably be hated by the kid- her kid, even- and die alone old and withered in a house full of cats. Ok, maybe that was going a bit overboard, but she was allowed to be a bit depressed!

Opening the front door of her house, she saw her parents in the kitchen, both of them probably laughing over some stupid joke her dad had told. Her mom was by the oven, cooking one of her of concoctions, while her dad was sitting at the front of the table, drinking his evening gin and tonic. Her mother gave her a warm smile, and her father boisterously declared her presence with a loud "there she is!" Tenten sat next to her father, her guilt tasting like bile in the back of her throat. She didn't deserve their kindness or love right now- not after what she had did to them. If they threw her out on the streets and told her to never come near them again, she would bear them no ill will and happily comply with their request.

It wasn't until her mother shook her shoulder violently that Tenten noticed her parents were talking to her. Their looks of concern made her dizzy, and she wished she could turn back time and deny the Hokage's invitation to that stupid meeting.

"What's wrong, Tenten? You're never this quiet. Did the meeting go over well, at least? "

Realizing how quiet she had been, Tenten attempted to shake her nerves off. "I guess you could say that... I have something I need to tell you guys..." The dreary tone of her voice didn't escape her parents' notice.

"Did someone say something to you? About not being born into a clan?"

Why was the situation so unreal? It was going to be impossible to explain to them. "No... it isn't that..."

"Is it good news or bad news? " her father asked.

They had always wanted to be parents, right? But they also made their less than positive views about wedlock and the like very clear. "A bit of both, I guess..."

"Dinner's almost done. Do you want to wait until after to tell us? We can go out for gelato, if you want?"

"Yeah," Tenten faked a smile. "That'd be nice."

"Ok," her mom said, serving her what looked to be some kind of meat with burnt vegetables on the side. When Tenten cut into it, it seemed to be completely raw, as blood and some slimey goop seeped from the center. The smell of it was even worse, if possible. There was the burnt meat scent was there, along with the pungent vinegar aroma that practically made her gag. As she looked at it, she lost her appetite instantly. In fact, the only thing that looked edible on her plate was the salad. Her dad gave her a look said he shared her disgust.

"Thanks honey for the uh... exotic meal."

"It's not exotic- its supposed to be roasted chicken with vegetables..."

"Oh..."

For a moment, silence hung about awkwardly, and then, the three of them were laughing hysterically. Tenten forgot about her earlier despair, and enjoyed the moment of family time. It reminded her of when she was little, the way her parents were being immature, how they playfully bickered and laughed at their own jokes. Finally, they had calmed down enough to speak without panting or giggling.

"How about that gelato, then?"

"That sounds like a plan."

Walking towards the village center, they arrived at the Amorino shop. They all seemed to order their usuals- her dad had pistachio, her mom got mango, and she had strawberry. They sat outside of the parlor, eating their gelato and people watching. Eventually, her mom asked about what had happened at the meeting.

Tenten paused, thinking about how to approach the issue. She had to tell them, but the lump in her throat made it hard to talk. "You know how the clans are always going at each other's throats?"

"Yes. What of it?"

Had her mouth always been this dry? The sandpaper-like texture of her tongue made it stick to the top of her mouth, and her cheeks seemed to be stuck to her teeth. "The Hokage had this idea to unite them. He wants to do so by having them all get together and produce a child..."

"So why would that have made you upset?"

Tenten felt hot. Really, really hot. The back of her neck was chilled slightly by her nerve induced sweat, and the hair on her arms were standing on end as goosebumps sprung up without warning. Her breath became shallow, and the shakiness of her inhale made her entire body rattle with anxiety. 'Now or never, Tenten, ' her mind told her. The obnoxious taste of bile crept into the back of her throat, and forcing it back down, she told them. "The Hokage wanted me to be a part of it..."

"What does that mean? What did he tell you to do?!"

When had her hands started shaking? As a matter of fact, when had her entire body started shaking? It was uncontrollable, and she felt was so helpless at that moment. "I signed an agreement, saying that I would be a mother to the child. "

The confusion on her parents' faces destroyed her mentally. What had she done to them? How could she ever face them again? "But... why would you do that? Why would they ask that of you?! I just don't understand.."

Why hadn't she considered their feelings before signing that stupid agreement?!

"I don't know why I signed it, ok?! I just... I felt like... I had to do something... and Neji was in on it and everything! I thought it would be better, that it would be ok if we had each other in this process. But now, he doesn't even think I can do this! He told me at the meeting and I felt like crap after he did! And now you guys won't forgive me for doing this to you, and I'll be alone with a baby that'll hardly be mine..." Tenten's sobbing escalated as she spoke, and by this point she had snot and tears pouring down her face. Her breathing could only be compared to hyperventilation, and she could just imagine how ugly she looked right now. Her nose was surely red and swollen, and her eyes were probably the same. Slowly, Tenten glanced at her parents, and saw the loving, supportive expressions they wore.

As she met her mom's gaze, she didn't see anger, sadness or betrayal- only a warm smile and teary eyes. "We aren't mad at you, sunshine."

Her father's face was no different than her mother's. He put his strong arm around Tenten's shoulder. "You did what you had to do."

Her mom hugged her tightly, kissing the top of her forehead the way she had when Tenten was little. "Let's go home. You can stay in your old room for tonight."

"I'd like that," Tenten replied with a grateful smile.

As they walked home, her nerves were finally at ease, and she vaguely wondered how the clans were handling this situation.

* * *

Fugaku, Itachi and Sasuke walked along the path quietly, each caught up in their own thoughts. On their way back home, they passed a playground full of playing children and doting parents. This scene only served as a reminder of what had just happened, and triggered emotions in each of the men.

Itachi was a strange combination of exasperated and ecstatic. The former because he would have to explain this to the rest of the clan, and the latter because he loved children- especially Sasuke's! While there was no question about whether or not he loved his son, Toshio, being an uncle was rewarding in its own way. Katsuro was indeed a bit of a brat, but Itachi hardly had to deal with that as an uncle. He merely had the job of spoiling the boy and sending him back to Sasuke.

Among his excitement over being an uncle again, there was a bit of disappointment as well. He and Masumi had been considering expanding their family, and he swore he could hear the pitter patter of little feet. This time, they wanted a baby girl, one that would most definitely be spoiled, but sweet and beautiful nonetheless. Toshio had overheard this conversation, and had been talking non stop about how he would protect his baby sister, and about how he would be the 'best big brother ever.' There was a bit of sadness as Itachi realized his brother had the opportunity to be a father again. Of course, he and Masumi could have a child at any time they wanted, but Itachi felt that the negotiations were barely beginning, and they were sure to be too time consuming for him to devote enough time to his wife were she to get pregnant. Glancing at his father, Itachi saw emotions entirely different from his own.

Fugaku was angered at having his authority taken from him so easily, and was now plotting a way for the Uchiha to have more control over this child than the other clans. His face clearly displayed his fury, forehead wrinkling in hate for the Hyuga. There had to be some way to override the authority of the Hokage and Council, he just had to figure out what it was. The only solution to this situation in his mind was for the Uchiha to gain full custody of the child, and early on as well.

It was hard for Fugaku to accept these rules being imposed on him, especially concerning his grandchildren. Toshio and Katsuro were both outstanding young boys, and he knew Mikoto was dying for either Itachi or Sasuke to have a girl. Fugaku wanted nothing to stand in the way of his grandchildren's success, including another grandchild. If it were a fully Uchiha child, he wouldn't mind so much, but since the other clans were to have a hand in this child's upbringing, he worried that it would be corrupted by their influence. Not to mention how the rest of the clan would react to the news. The Uchiha were highly dissatisfied with the way the village was running, and some had even spoke of forming a coup. Of course, Fugaku had shut it down before anything happened, but he couldn't help but be suspicious. Sighing, he remembered that the one member of the family that would be most affected was his son. He stole a glance at Sasuke, who seemed to be annoyed.

But that was only the tip of the iceberg. How was he supposed to explain to his wife and three year old son that he had been forced into bearing another child? Surely Satomi wouldn't believe his story, and what of Katsuro- the child was far too selfish as it was, how could he be expected to guide a younger sibling through life's challenges?

Sasuke was infuriated, and he was at a loss of what to do. The only reason he married Satomi was so she would produce his children, and it showed in their relationship. She was always demanding that he spend more time with her, and claimed that he should at least attempt to love her back. It annoyed him incessantly, but he would set that aside in front of Katsuro. Even though Sasuke and Satomi were not on good terms in any sense, Sasuke recognized that their separation would harm their son. Katsuro needed to be able to see male and female interaction, and Sasuke believed that the best way to do so was by observing his birth parents. Wanting only the best for his child, Sasuke stayed.

While others would be reluctant to believe it, Sasuke loved his son dearly, and had never been happier than they day the kid was born. He might not shelter the kid as much as other parents, and he was not the most affectionate man there was, Sasuke cared deeply for Katsuro, and did everything possible to ensure the kid was happy and healthy. Though his facial expressions wouldn't reveal it, Sasuke cherished moments where Katsuro would ask him to demonstrate his 'cool ninja tricks', or to tell him stories of intense missions he'd been on. Sasuke even enjoyed the times that Katsuro had fallen asleep on the couch, and had to be carried to bed, and the precious moments when his son had climbed onto his lap and snuggled into his chest. But the times Sasuke loved most were when would look into his eyes and say 'I love you, Vati.'

Surely, these special moments were shared by many parents and children, and while he had no qualms about having more kids, Sasuke was concerned about this new child that he had been forced to conceive. It wasn't just the fact that there would be nine other people to have to deal with, but more so with how the kid was supposed to be able to identify with all of the clans and their traditions. Moreover, some of the kekkei genkai would require weeks of time devoted solely to training with that specific bloodline trait, so how would there ever be time for the child to learn all of them? And most importantly, what if this child wasn't capable of using any bloodline trait, and was a rather ineffective ninja? These questions couldn't be answered by anyone, and only time could tell, but nevertheless Sasuke accepted his newfound responsibility, and would now proceed with telling his family about it.

Coming to the street he lived on, Sasuke turned to his father and brother. "I trust that you two will tell the rest of the clan?"

Itachi smiled slightly, "Yes, of course."

Sasuke smiled back, "Good. Father, did you want to tell mother about this, or should I?"

"Do you honestly think that your wife will let you out of her sight long enough to let you speak to your mother?"

Letting out a small chuckle, Sasuke shook his head. "No. That damn woman drives me insane. You two are lucky that your wives gave you something to love. But what else can you expect from arranged marriage, right?"

"I guess so. I believe Masumi and I are one of the only couples in the clan to have naturally fallen in love."

"That's true. I wish I could go back and pick someone other than Satomi. All she does is whine and bitch all day, and Katsuro is starting to imitate her in that."

Fugaku chuckled a bit looking up at his youngest son who had grown to be almost half a foot taller than him. "You have to remember that he's only two, Sasuke. You were possibly one of the most difficult two year olds I have ever met- getting you to take a nap was a nightmare for me, but if someone else went to put you down, you'd listen to them. God, you used to piss me off like nothing else could. But if I can say so, I'm proud of you, and what you're doing for the clan in fathering this child is appreciated."

Sasuke's lips turned up in a half-hearted smile. "Thanks. Now I have to deal with the fire-breathing dragon I call my wife. Literally. I'm just glad her ninjutsu skills are minimal, at best."

At this, all three of them laughed at Satomi's expense, and Sasuke finally turned to go into his house. He stopped by the mailbox to see if Satomi had checked the mail, and she apparently had. Sighing to himself, Sasuke stepped onto the porch, wiping his shoes on the mat before taking them off and setting them to the side. He opened the door, and almost instantly felt a little person slamming into his shins.

"Vati, Vati, you're home! Read a story to me! Or we can play dinosaurs, or ANBU, or something! Come on, Vati, you have to, 'cause I say so! Let's go! Stop being so sloooowwww, Vati!" Katsuro had started pulling on Sasuke's hand, attempting to get his father to move from where the man had been standing. Katsuro had started to pull a little too hard, and he slipped on the slick, wooden floor. Sitting on his butt with tears in his eyes, Katsuro looked up at his Vati pathetically. He sniffled dramatically, then threw himself on the floor and began throwing a tantrum.

"Waaaahhh! V-Vati does-sn't lov-v-ve me n-n-no more! Waaaaahhhhhh!" Scowling slightly at his son's melodramatic display, Sasuke tried to pull the boy up to his feet. Katsuro refused, throwing his head back and screaming as his father started trying to stand him up. The ear piercing shriek caused Sasuke to pull the boy over to a corner. Giving him a sharp swat on the butt, Sasuke kneeled and sternly looked Katsuro in the eyes.

"You're going to stay in time-out until you stop throwing this tantrum. If you leave the corner, that's an extra five minutes plus a spanking. Understand?" Katsuro's eyes widened, and he threw himself into Sasuke's chest. The latter sighed, and stood his son up to face the corner. "I'll come and get you when I think you're ready. Until then, think about why it's wrong to throw tantrums." Standing up, Sasuke went to find his wife.

He didn't have to look far, she was in the kitchen checking on the dinner she had placed into the oven. Sasuke sighed in slight disappointment. It wasn't that Satomi couldn't cook, but that her cooking was rather bland and paled in comparison to his mother's. Everyone in the clan had jokingly said that with Satomi as his wife, Sasuke would starve to death. Of course, she hadn't taken that well, and had thrown a fit over how Sasuke 'hadn't even tried to defend her,' and how he was the 'biggest asshole of the century.' If she reacted in that way to some light teasing, he wondered what she was going to do when he told her the news.

Leaning against the countertop he decided to make small talk. "Hey.'

She looked over at him, and wished she hadn't. It wasn't that she hated her husband- no, she was hopelessly infatuated with him- but she could always tell that he didn't return her feelings. She felt that all she could ever be to him was a surrogate, a carrier of his children, and the woman he had all but been forced to marry. Satomi never understood why Sasuke never loved her; she was beautiful (which was why he had picked her over the other women), she was fairly smart, she was a loyal wife, _she had his baby!_, but most of all she loved him. She always made sure to say she loved him when they were in bed at night, when she saw him leave for a mission, when they were sitting next to each other on the couch, and whenever he was with Katsuro. Looking at him in pain, she faked a smile.

"Hey. How was the meeting? Did everything go over well?"

"You could say that. It depends on how you look at it, I suppose."

"And what is that supposed to mean?"

"All it means is that a solution was reached, but it's one that some people won't be happy about. Listen, because of this meeting, I have something that I need to discuss with you and Katsuro, and I want to wait until dinner to do so, alright?"

Nodding her head numbly, Satomi agreed. "Alright. Speaking of Katsuro, what was all that crying about earlier?"

"He started throwing a tantrum and fell and hurt himself."

"Oh, that's it? He does that all the time lately."

"Really? How do you discipline him when he throws a fit?"

"I ignore him, but then he carries on and it annoys me, so I tend to lock him in his room."

"Do you at least give him a warning before locking him in his room?"

"I usually tell him to shut the hell up, so kind of."

"Satomi, you can't tell a two year old to shut the hell up. That doesn't count as a warning, and all it's going to make him do is carry on even more every time you talk to him."

"Well, how was I supposed to know that?!"

"It's common sense, Satomi! No wonder the kid's always whining to me- it's because you're such an awful mother!"

"At least I don't spank him! That's child abuse, you know."

"No actually, it's not. When I spank him, it's out of disciplinary action, not because he didn't 'shut the hell up'!"

"Oh really? How would you like to explain that to a judge? Do you really want to have a divorce and ruin Katsuro's childhood?! Do you?!"

"No, but it sure as hell sounds like you do! And face it Satomi, I would win custody if we took this to court, and you know it. Remember that time when I'd been on a mission for a week, and Katsuro ended up in the hospital because you didn't treat his ear infection? It went onto your record as child neglect, and don't think for a minute that the judge won't look at that, along with his broken arm that he had for three weeks before I took him to the hospital!"

"How was I supposed to know the difference between him actually being in pain and him just whining like he always does?!"

"How could you not know that something was wrong?! His ear was leaking puss, and his lymph nodes were swollen as hell! And his arm had obviously been broken, with the angle it was bent at! How could you ignore our son long enough for those things to have happened?!"

"I wasn't ignoring him!"

"Then what the hell were you doing?!"

"I don't remember, but don't you dare accuse me of neglecting our son when you're the one who leaves for weeks on end all the time!"

"I only take those missions to put food on the goddamn table! And then your sorry ass spends it all on fucking designer handbags and shit! So then I have to work more, just to pay the fucking bills!"

"You have no idea what I do with that money! Absolutely fucking no idea! And you don't even fucking know how hard it is to take care of that brat when you're gone! He never fucking listens and he's always fucking crying about the littlest goddamn thing!"

"You have to be shitting me because Katsuro is only two fucking years old! He would probably listen to you if you actually gave him the fucking time of day!"

"Bullshit! If he was a good kid, we wouldn't have to fucking discipline him!"

"He is a good kid, he just needs an actual fucking mother in his life, you stupid bitch!"

"Well, I'm sorry that I'm not your mother! I can't be fucking perfect like she was, you stupid fucking Mama's boy!"

"You could at least try to pretend you give a fucking shit about our son!"

"No I can't! Not when I sleep next to a man who doesn't love me back! Not when you're always gone, and Katsuro is always fucking asking where his Vati is! Not when I live in this empty goddamn house! Not when you don't return my feelings, Sasuke! Not when I know you'll never love me back..."

"Satomi, stop pitying yourself and get the fuck over it. No, I don't love you; I never have and probably never will. But half of that little boy is yours, so you could at least pretend to act like his mother every once in a fucking while. You talk as if you have no one in this world-"

"No I fucking don't, Sasuke!-"

"But that little boy loves you so fucking unconditionally, and you treat him like absolute shit! That's why I want you to get the fuck out of my house, and why I'm leaving you."

"Sasuke... you wouldn't!"

"I just did. Get your shit and get the fuck out."

Satomi stood there, shell shocked at what had just happened. She tried to think of something to say, something to console Sasuke long enough to let her stay with him for at least one more night. Finally, she opened her mouth. "But... what about Katsuro?... He still needs me..."

"You should have thought about that before you chose to neglect him."

"But Sasuke!-"

"It's too late to try to make excuses with me. Get your stuff and go. Now!"

Sobbing as she ran up the stairs, Satomi grabbed her suitcase and filled it with the first things she saw. As she was about to go downstairs, she saw something to be used for later. An evil smirk came across her face as she snatched the paper, thinking how she would get her soon to be ex-husband back for what he had done to her. Sniggering evilly to herself, she reveled in the delight that vengeance would bring her. Deciding she'd been upstairs long enough, she zipped up her suitcase and made her way downstairs.

As she passed Sasuke on her way out, he spoke to her. "Oh, by the way, at the meeting today it was decided that I would be the father to a child shared by the clans." He smirked viciously as he opened the door and roughly pushed her outside. "Don't let the door hit you on the way out." With that, the door was slammed in Satomi's face.

Scowling in fury, she made her way down the street towards her parent's house. She remembered that beautiful piece of paper that she grabbed on her way out, and pulled it out of her bag.

Looking over all of Sasuke's account information and passwords, she laughed without mirth. Oh yes, payback for Sasuke Uchiha was going to be a real bitch.

As Sasuke closed the door, he looked over to the corner where Katsuro was curled into a ball, sobbing. Walking over to his son, he lifted the small boy into his arms and rubbed his back with his fingertips. Rocking him slightly, Sasuke tried his best to shush the child. "Ssshhhh, Katsuro, it's going to be alright."

"W-Why di-d Mom-my have to l-lea-ve?"

Looking at his son's face, Sasuke used his thumbs to gently wipe away the tears that had fallen. Taking a deep breath, Sasuke wondered how much of that conversation his son had heard. Sighing, he tried to explain. "Vati was very angry with Mommy, and the way she treated you. There were a lot of things that happened between you and Mommy while Vati was away on missions that he didn't wasn't a good Mommy to you, and Vati thought it would be better if it were just you and me. I'm sorry you had to hear all of the bad things that we said to each other, but you need to understand that I love you, more than anything else in the world, and that what I did was to protect you, ok?"

Katsuro nodded sullenly, and buried his face into Sasuke's shoulder, sucking his snot up his nose loudly. Sasuke cringed, but decided it was better to let the child be instead of trying to press a tissue to the kids nose. Kissing his son's forehead, Sasuke glanced at the time. It was half past nine, and thirty minutes past the time Katsuro needed to be in bed. "It's past your bedtime, and you need to get some sleep."

Katsuro shook his head. "I just want you to hold me."

Nodding his head, Sasuke cradled the child to his chest, and realized he still needed to tell Katsuro about what had happened at the meeting. "Katsuro, how would you feel about being a big brother?"

His son looked up at him. "What's that mean, Vati?"

"It means that in a few months, you're going to have a little brother or sister, and you're going to have to help me and the other parents take care of the baby."

"Is it going to be fun?"

"Sometimes yes, sometimes no. The baby might cry a lot, and you might need to change its diaper from time to time, but your baby brother or sister will always look up to you and love you. Does that sound like something you're going to be ok with?"

"I don't know..."

"Why not?"

"When the baby comes, are you going to stop playing with me and loving me?"

Furrowing his brow Sasuke shook his head. "The baby might need my attention, but I promise that I'll never stop loving you, and that I will always make time for just you and me, ok?"

"Ok. Will you make time to play with me right now?"

Laughing a little, Sasuke shook his head. "It's nine fourty-five, and you should be asleep right now."

"But I don't wanna sleep! Sleeping is for babies and old people!"

Sighing as he had done all night, Sasuke decided to be unusually playful with his son. "But don't you know what happens to little boys who stay up past their bedtimes?"

Katsuro looked up, afraid of what could happen to him. "N-no. What?'

Sasuke smirked, leaning in to whisper in his son's ear. "The tickle monster comes to get them!" And with that, he ran his fingers all along Katsuro's stomach and sides, as the little boy succumbed to fits of giggles. Katsuro started squirming and trying to push Sasuke's hands away, but Sasuke only tickled him harder and faster.

"I-i'm gonna peeeee!" At that, Sasuke stopped his attack, laughing at his son. After a few minutes passed, Katsuro yawned, and though he tried to hide it, Sasuke noticed.

"Alright, let's get your teeth brushed so you can go to bed."

"But Vatiii-"

"No buts. Go get your pajamas on."

"Can I at least sleep in your room tonight?"

With all that had happened tonight, Sasuke caved to his son's request and nodded. "But you have to lay down, be quiet, and go to sleep ok?"

"Ok!'

With that, the little boy ran upstairs, tripping a few times but getting back up as if nothing had happened. In about ten minutes, he was in his pajamas with his teeth brushed, and was sitting on the edge of Sasuke's bed.

As he brushed his teeth Sasuke wondered what would happen next in his life. Would Katsuro truly be ok with his new brother or sister? And how would the rest of the clan react to the child? Rinsing his mouth with mouthwash, he spit it out in the sink and dried his mouth with a towel. He turned off the light as he left the bathroom, and settled down on his bed, pulling his son to his chest. Lying in bed with Katsuro, Sasuke pictured a little baby running around his house as Katsuro had done. These images changed occasionally, from a babbling baby boy to a sleeping baby girl. As he thought of his future child, Sasuke couldn't help but feel happy. He didn't care what gender the child would be, as long as it was his baby.

At least if it was a girl, his mother would finally have someone to gush over and dress up.

* * *

Walking onto the veranda of her home, Hinata carried a tray of tea over to her cousin, husband and son. Hideaki was pestering his 'Uncle Neji' about what he had done all day, and how pretty the sunset was, and had he seen Aunt Hanabi's new boyfriend? While Neji was speaking to his 'nephew', Hinata served everyone tea.

She smiled as her cousin- who was more like her older brother- spoke to her energetic son. Hideaki truly lived up to his name, as he shined with his bright and happy personality. When most people met him, they had a hard time believing that this talkative child was truly hers and Hiroaki's. While Hinata was quiet and clam, Hiroaki was stern and chose not to speak to people he didn't consider of importance. It reminded her a little of her father, and of Neji when they had been younger.

After the fight between Neji and Naruto in the Chunin exams, her cousin became more lighthearted, even gaining a sense of humor. Neji had come over for dinner about three to five times a week, in order to gain a closer relation to the head family, and his presence there had made Hinata feel happier, as if her family was becoming closer. Hiashi had even started training with Neji, teaching him several advanced techniques and jutsu that most Hyuga couldn't even dream of doing. It really was no wonder that by the time Neji had turned sixteen he was a jonin with job offers from the Feudal Lord and ANBU.

Shortly after Hinata had turned seventeen, the suitors had arrived from within the clan, and her father had asked for Neji to help him in his decision making. While Hinata had dates with the suitors, Neji had been watching from the shadows, making notes of the behavior of the males and any advances they tried to make on his cousin. After the dates, Neji immediately reported to Hiashi, and from there some would be eliminated for being too forward with the clan heiress. As the elimination process continued over the next six months, Hiroaki had spoken to Hiashi and Neji, stating his commitment to Hinata, and his wish to make her happy, and his hope that she would grow to love him. It was for those reasons that Neji and Hiashi had picked Hiroaki to be her husband. Hanabi heard about this, and told her sister before her father and cousin had the chance. She remarked that while Hiroaki was reserved and boring, at least he would make her happy and treat her well. Hanabi also remarked that as Hinata's younger sister, her blessing was the most important, seeing as how she was the one most likely to make Hiroaki's life hell.

In the beginning of their relationship, Hinata felt awkward. Her feelings for Naruto had yet to cease, and it felt wrong to be dating Hiroaki when her heart felt as if it belonged to someone else. One day Hiroaki turned to her, and told her that he knew about her infatuation with Naruto, and promised that while he knew his feelings were not returned, he would never stop loving her, and would always seek for her to love him. It was at that moment that Hinata had realized that she could never be happy with Naruto, because it would never be accepted; but if she were to marry Hiroaki, she would have a chance at being loved back, and though he was reserved, he was genuine and sincere in what little he said.

True to his name, Hiroaki had a stern face and reserved body language. He was a bit taller than average, but still quite a bit shorter than Neji. He had defined cheekbones and a strong jaw, and his long light brown hair framed his face slightly before it flowed down to his mid back. He wore a traditional beige yakuta, and enjoyed taking long breaks to drink tea with his wife.

Their marriage was fairly happy and quiet, and they lived together for four years before conceiving Hideaki. When she had first told Hiroaki that she was pregnant, he merely smiled and said that he was happy for them. As the Hyuga clan held a festival- which was closer to a soiree considering how formal everyone was- Hiroaki made the request that everyone in the clan abstain from drinking alcohol, in order to support Hinata. She remembered how everyone in the clan, and even a few people from other clans, had remarked about what a supportive husband he was.

Throughout the pregnancy, he would care for her dotingly, and ask how she felt. When her feet became swollen and her back ached, he would always be there to give her a massage. During her first trimeseter, he would hold her hair when she had to vomit due to morning sickness, and rub her back soothingly afterwords. He made sure that she ate well and often, and would always give her the foods she craved.

As Hinata's pregnancy progressed, Hiroaki was as supportive as possible, though still very reserved. Concerned about his parenting skills, he went to parenting classes, bought several books, and started volunteering at the village orphanage. Hiroaki also decided that he had to make more of an effort to be close to her family. They would eat dinner at her parent's house four times a week, at least, and Hiashi, Hiroaki, and Neji would often go into the parlor and smoke cigars and talk about politics, money, and the like. Hiroaki also made an effort to bond with Hanabi and her mother. He would help them with the gardening, and became a handiman whenever Hiashi was away on business. In the time that he had spent with her family, her parents had come to accept him as their son, Hanabi thought of him as her older brother, and Neji considered him a very close friend.

The day Hideaki was born, Hiroaki stayed in the room with her, as the midwives prepared her tub. Hinata had insisted on a water birth, despite Hiashi's offers to give her a luxury room in a private hospital. When asked why, she merely replied that it felt right, and that she would be perfectly fine with Hiroaki taking care of her. A few hours after her water broke, Neji had come over to see how she was doing, explaining that he had denied a mission to support her. It was at this point that Hinata and Hiroaki had decided to make Neji Hideaki's godfather, and Hanabi the godmother. As several people came to coo over the beautiful baby boy, Hinata spoke to Hiroaki quietly as soon as she had the chance.

"I'm so happy it was a boy. Now, the clan can go back to its tradition of first born son inheritance."

Looking into her eyes, Hiroaki's gaze softened. "Even if we had a daughter, I would love her just as much as I love Hideaki. It doesn't matter to me what the gender of the child is, just that it's our child."

Hinata's eyes filled with tears as she realized at that moment she had grown to love him. Even when Naruto came to visit her and the baby, she felt her love for her husband as deeply as anyone could. Leaning against his shoulder to rest for a while, she caught him off guard. Giggling, she brought her lips to his ear. "I love you so much," she whispered, and kissed his cheek tenderly.

"You missed," he said as he leaned down to put his lips onto hers.

After breaking away from her reverie, she poured the tea and sat down next to Hiroaki, who cleared his throat and asked "How did the meeting go?"

Looking up from her tea, Hinata made eye contact with Neji, who frowned with an emotion she couldn't name.

Hideaki bounced up and down. "Did you kick Sasuke Uchiha's butt today, Uncle Neji?! Was he all like, 'wahhhh, I want my mommy!-'"

"Not quite, son-"

"-and you all like 'hahaha! I win, and you're a chicken butt!'-"

"It didn't quite happen that wa-"

"-and he was all crying cause you were so cool-"

"Hideaki, would you please be quiet?!" Neji raised his voice at his talkative nephew, whose normally bright and cheerful face was now crestfallen. Guilty, Neji watched as Hideaki went over to his mother, burying his face into her chest and clinging to her desperately. Sighing, Neji beckoned him over, placing the small boy on his lap and holding him tenderly. Using his thumbs to gently wipe away the crocodile tears that were falling, Neji lowered his voice, making it gentle and soothing.

"I'm sorry for yelling at you, but I was just very angry about something that I have to do now, and you reminded me of it. You see, at the clan meeting, I was told that I had to have a baby, and I don't know if I want to do that yet."

"S-so wh-why didn't you j-j-just say n-no?" Hideaki stuttered, looking up into Neji's eyes. In them, he could see thousands of unspoken worries.

Hinata spoke up. "Baby, sometimes grown ups have to do things that they don't want or else they get in trouble. There are things that we have to do that we don't like, or that aren't fair, simply because it's the way things are. Uncle Neji is doing the clan a really big favor by having a baby, and tomorrow we're going to make sure that he knows we all love him, and that we're all grateful for his sacrifice." As she said the last part, Hinata looked into Neji's eyes, giving him a warm and kind smile which he returned.

Hiroaki cleared his throat and spoke. "Well this sure is a change. I never quite saw you as the father type. Then again, I never saw myself as a dad, but look at what happened. You'll do fine as a parent, Neji, just fine."

As she looked at the image of him holding her son, she could tell that while reluctant, Neji would make a fantastic father. "Yes, you'll be a wonderful father."

"Thank you both. And as for the little one, I believe it's far past your bedtime."

"Nuh-uh Uncle Neji! I'm not even-" he let out an exhausted yawn, "tired yet."

All three adults chuckled, with Neji standing up and walking to Hideaki's bedroom. Setting his nephew down onto the bed, Neji pulled the blanket up to his shoulders and set the stuffed bunny next to the sleepy child. Looking down at Hideaki, Neji wondered if this would be how raising the child would be. Just as he was about to leave, he heard Hideaki call out to him.

"What is it?"

"How're you going to have a baby if you're a man?"

Neji, for once, was speechless, with his mouth agape like a dead fish. "You'll learn about that when you're older," he said, turning off the lights and fleeing the room.

Hanabi stood by the corner of the hallway, sniggering to herself. Her face lit up with a malicious sense of humor. "Yes Neji, do explain how you intend to birth this child."

"Shut up, Hanabi!"

* * *

Ino's headache had evolved over the course of dinner, and was now a full on migraine. Her son had refused to eat any of his food, and had started screaming that he was only able to eat dessert. After he was denied this, he attempted to convince Ino that he was allergic to every food except dessert, and was instantly shot down. He had been in time out for about fifteen minutes before he quieted down. Ino had just let him out, and had been trying to get him to pick up his dinner dishes; however, what little patience she had was waning, and she was about to go off the deep end in anger. It didn't help that her husband simply sat there, reading some stupid book while she was trying to discipline her child.

"Shigeru, stop crying and clean up your dinner dishes!"

"But they're too heavy! Mama, it's too much! You hate me!" The toddler threw himself on the floor, sobbing for no logical reason. Ino let out an annoyed growl, and looked to her good for nothing husband for assistance. Tadashi sighed, and went over to the screaming two year old.

"Shigeru, why are you throwing a tantrum? All you have to do is put your dishes in the sink!"

"They're too heavy! I can't do it!"

Sending Ino an exhausted look, Tadashi sighed. "I tried." And with that, he walked to the stairs.

Ino saw this, and knew she needed to tell both of them what had happened at the meeting. "Before you go upstairs, there's something I need to tell you two."

"It can't wait?"

"No, it can't."

"Fine, but it better be worth my time."

As he sat down, Ino remembered how selfish her husband had always been. Recalling the day he had asked for her hand in marriage, she wondered why she had put up with him for five years.

As Tadashi approached her that day, she had felt a sense of dread. From the way he walked, his nose up in the air, she knew she wasn't going to feel anything but contempt for him. Even though he was from her own clan, she found that he rubbed her the wrong way, and she got the feeling that he was a real snake in the grass. Still, she smiled as he came up to her, and politely introduced herself.

When Ino voiced this concern to her father, he brushed it off as her being unable to accept that she and Sasuke could no longer continue with their brief fling. Ino vehemently denied this, yet for the first time in her life, neither her father nor her mother believed what she said.

As she was forced into marrying him, she became slightly depressed. She wouldn't go out with her friends and only left the house when she had a mission. Sakura came to her house, and the lecture she gave eventually snapped Ino out of it by reminding her of who she was. She was Ino Yamanaka, the future head of the Yamanaka clan, and she was not the type of person to lay around and mope.

As she reminded herself of who she was, she knew what she had to do. Glaring at her husband, Ino went over to her baby boy, and picked him up off of the ground. Holding him for a moment, she thought about what she was about to say to him, and worried about what his reaction would be. Sniffling, Shigeru looked up at his Mama, and gave her the most pitiful look he could manage. Sighing for the thousandth time, Ino pushed back his dirty blond bangs, feeling his face that had grown warm with frustration. She placed a gentle kiss to his hairline, stroking his hair and rocking him slightly. She carried him over to the couch, setting him down on her lap. Taking a deep breath, Ino forced herself to get it out.

"So a lot of stuff happened at the meeting today, and I have something big to tell you guys."

Big blue eyes looked up at her, filled with tears. A small bottom lip trembled with sadness. "Is it a good thing, Mama?"

Nuzzling their noses together, she gave her son a reassuring smile. "Yes, it's a very good thing. You see, when a mommy and daddy have a baby, it makes the grandmas and grandpas happy. And because a lot of the clans in the village don't like each other, we need to help make the clans happy with each other again. So, Lord Hokage thought that if all of the clans had a baby together, that it would make them all happy again, and there would be no more fighting."

Tadashi stared at her for a moment, piecing together what she had just told them. "Ino, are you telling me that you're having a baby with someone from _another clan_?!" Weren't they married? Was she even allowed to make these kinds of decisions without him. It wasn't that he cares for her personally, but he was entitled to half of her assets in the will, and his son already had the other half. With a new baby, his shares would likely be reduced, or even cut out altogether! There was no way he would let that happen!

"Such a thing is against our pre-nuptials. Don't you realize that, honey dearest?"

Ino scowled at him. "My father was at the meeting with me. It was an official decision made by the head of the clan and myself. It overrides that contract, my darling husband."

Gaping at her like a fish out of water, he stuttered "You can-t-t-t be s-s-serious!"

"Yes, Tadashi, I am. If I hadn't agreed, everyone in the clan would be in federal prison. I had to do it, and I don't regret it. If you have a problem with that, then leave and don't ever come back." Ino's iron determination to protect the clan could be seen in her steely blue eyes, and her voice hardened with a fierceness that he had never heard before. Suddenly, he realized why Ino was as respected as she was- and he saw why she was a woman whom one did not want to make an enemy out of.

As Tadashi stared at her, he knew why Inoichi had no hesitation about making her the head of the clan, and he feared what she could do to him. It was that fear that made him want to run away and cling to what he had of his petty life. Ino was known to be able to kill in cold blood, and Tadashi was a coward. Standing, he nodded, and walked towards the stairs when Ino stopped him.

"Take nothing but the clothes on your back, and the shame in your conscious. Your name may mean loyal, but you aren't anywhere near that. Leave. Now!"

And as the door slammed shut, and Shigeru cried out for his father, Ino knew that she had made the right decision in becoming a mother again. Lifting Shigeru off of the floor, she took him over to sit on the couch. She felt she owed him an explanation as to why his father had left, and what would be happening within the next few months.

"Sweetie, you know that I love you, right?"

Shigeru nodded and whimpered. "Why did he leave? Will he come back?"

Stroking his hair, Ino shook her head. "No, sweetheart, he isn't coming back. What happened tonight with Daddy was that he wasn't able to accept something that would save the clan, and he got mad and left."

"But Daddy's part of the clan, too! Why would he want to leave forever?"

"Because sometimes grown ups are silly, and they get mad about silly things. But that doesn't matter. I want to talk to you about big changes that are going to be happening in the next few months, ok?"

"O-ok."

"Mommy is going to give you a new brother or sister within the next year. That means that when the baby comes, I'm going to need your help. I might need you to feed the baby, play with it, or change its diapers. Also, as a big brother, you're going to need to protect your baby brother or sister, and be there for him or her when things are rough. So you think you can do that?"

"I guess..."

"No guesses. I need you to promise that you'll be the best big brother you can be."

Looking at his lap, Shigeru thought for a moment before he puffed his chest out and said "I promise!"

Ruffling his hair, Ino smiled. "That's my boy! Now, we need to get you into bed, ok? Go put your jammies on, I'll tuck you in when I'm done cleaning up."

Shigeru ran upstairs and did as he was told. Ino went over to the table and began putting the dishes into the dishwasher. Tomorrow, she would call her parents and tell them what went on between her and her soon to be ex, and then she would take all of Tadashi's stuff to the local homeless shelter for donation.

With the dishwasher full and running, she left the kitchen and went upstairs to go tuck her son in. When she got upstairs, she noticed that the door was shut. She knocked, and Shigeru opened it almost immediately. He walked sleepily over to his bed, getting under the blanket and waiting for his Mama. She tucked him into bed, watching as he drifted further into sleep. Stroking his hair sadly, Ino hoped he wouldn't grow up to be resentful to her for making his father walk out on him, and wondered if he would be happy with just the two of them.

Smiling to herself, Ino decided she would have to go baby shopping tomorrow. Hopefully, this one would be a girl!

* * *

_What a drag, she won't eat a bite!_ Shikamaru scowled in irritation. "Come on, Kanako, just eat two bites?"

"Noooooo!" The toddler pursed her lips as tightly as she could, pouting stubbornly and turning her head the other way.

"But if you don't eat, you'll end up shorter than your mom!"

"Mommy, Daddy just called you a-"

Kanako was cut off by a spoon of sweet potatoes being shoved into her mouth. Swallowing the disgusting stuff, she attempted to run away from the table before her father caught her by the waist and pulled her into his lap. Kanako was adorable, but very stubborn. Her little eyebrows were soft and delicate, and her lips seemed to naturally be pouty. She had black hair which she insisted on wearing in ponytails every day, and her eyes were a light brown. She had a little button nose that everyone felt a need to poke, and she hated it because of that. Her cheeks were round and rosy, and at the moment were currently puffed out in annoyance.

"What were you saying about me, Shikamaru?" Kaori asked, her tone pleasant and her fists raised. Kaori was petite and slightly busty, and was fairly average in looks. She was highly intelligent, and the first time that she played a game of Shogi with Shikamaru, she beat him. She was a control freak, and most definitely a type-a kind of person, which Shikamaru felt attracted to. In the beginning, he was only married to her because it was what the clan had arranged, but they had grown to love each other, and Choji had always teased them about being more similar to an old married couple as opposed to a young married couple.

"Nothing dear, but could you get her to eat something? I've hardly gotten her to eat anything off of the plate!"

Kaori shrugged. "If she doesn't eat at the table, she'll find out later that she doesn't eat at all."

Choji walked in carrying his daughter, Haruna, with his wife Hanako trailing behind. Haruna was a slightly chubby child, but always had a bright smile on her face. Her face was round like the moon, and her eyes were the same light green as her father's. She had short, dirty blond hair like her mother, and she generally wore it down with clips keeping it out of her face. When she smiled, she had small dimples that were inside the smile line, compared to most people's dimples being on the outer part of their cheeks. Haruna was also Kanako's best friend, and they would often be at each other's houses on playdates and sleepovers.

Hanako was a full-figured woman. Her face was round and soft, with large gentle eyes and rosy cheeks. She had one of the prettiest faces in the village, no doubt, and was one of the kindest and most caring people Shikamaru had ever met. She always wore very feminine clothes, and was often making some type of food or dessert for her family. Hanako was always a welcoming hostess, and a wonderful friend to Shikamaru and Kaori. She and Choji had been sweethearts as teenagers, and Choza had happily consented when Choji wished to marry her. They were one of the most harmonious couples Shikamaru had ever met, and they were so in love with each other that they were the envy of many couples in the villiage.

As Choji placed his daughter into her seat, Hanako set the plate down in front of her, and Haruna ate her food happily.

"See how Haruna eats without putting up a fight? That's what you should do, Kanako."

Laughing at his friend's misfortune, Choji offered some advice to the flustered father. "Don't try to force it on her, Shikamaru. If anything, it'll make her want to eat less just so she can get a rise out of you. "

"Yeah, well you try feeding her, then!"

"Ok." Taking the spoon from Shikamaru, Choji sat down in front of Kanako. With a gentle smile, he lifted the spoon to her lips, and she opened her mouth happily and ate the food. "It's not hard, you just have to be patient with her is all."

Shikamaru couldn't believe that he had spent the past year and a half trying to get Kanako to eat, and all Choji needed was five seconds.

"So what was it you needed to tell us? Nothing bad, I hope?" The worry in Hanako's eyes was comforting to Shikamaru and he remembered why they were at the Akimichi house in the first place.

"It isn't bad, per se, but it's definitely a little startling. Basically, the fighting between the Uchiha and Hyuga has caused the Hokage to think that all of the clan heads should have a baby together. Sound about right, Choji?"

The room went silent. While he knew how blunt Shikamaru tended to be, Choji was not expecting him to be this harsh. Maybe the meeting had worn him out, and he was probably just tired since he didn't have time to take a nap this afternoon.

"Uhhh, yeah, if you put it bluntly, I guess."

Kaori stared at her husband. He simply brushed off the fact that he was fathering a child that wasn't hers, and he hadn't even asked her about it whatsoever! "So why didn't they write another treaty like they always do? And what does this have to do with the Nara clan anyway?! It's the Uchiha's and Hyuga's problems, not ours! They should be the ones settling it! I swear, if you're lying to me-"

"Calm down! As if I want to deal with this!"

"Hah! You could've fooled me with how harshly you just told me about this! It's as if you don't care what I think anymore! What, am I not good enough for you, is that it?! Fine, go have this baby, see what I care!"

"You're not making any sense right now! Do you even hear what you're saying?! You know I love you, and that you're the only woman I want to be the mother of my children! Kaori... please... don't be mad at me... if I hadn't done it, we'd all be in prison." Gasping, Hanako looked to Choji, asking if it was true and receiving a nod. Catching this, Kaori started to cry as she looked at her husband, the man she had come to love, the father of her beautiful baby girl...

Suddenly, Kaori pulled Shikamaru to her, tears in her eyes. "I love you, too. No matter how dumb you can be."

"Eeeewwww! No kissing allowed! Stop it!" Kanako squealed, banging her hands on the table in an effort to stop her parents kiss. Laughing, they pulled apart and Shikamaru put her on his shoulders. Turning to the Akimichi family, Shikamaru smiled and headed towards the door.

"Thanks for having us over, we'll be heading out now. Take care!"

Choji, Haruna, and Hanako waved to the Nara family as they left, and went inside to talk this over on the couch. Hanako wasn't mad at Choji, and was rather happy that she could be a mother without having to give birth again!

Turning to his daughter, Choji became slightly serious. "Haruna, being a big sister is going to be a big responsibility. You're going to have to protect this baby, and help him or her when things get tough. Do you think you can do that for me?"

"Of course Papa! I'll take her out for ice cream, and candy, and cookies, and cake, and barbeque, and-"

"Ok, ok, calm down! I know you'll be a great big sister, honey."

The small family laughed as they sat on the couch, huddled together and enjoying each other's company.

At the same time, Shikamaru and Kaori were having a similar conversation with Kanako.

"Of course I'll be a good big sister! I'll make sure that the baby does everything I tell it to! And it will always listen to me and do what I say, no matter what!"

Shikamaru laughed. "Being bossy isn't all there is to being a good big sister, Kanako. You also have to listen to your baby brother or sister when they need help with something, and you have to be patient when they don't do things right away."

"Hmmmm. I guess you're right. Hey daddy, can I ask you something?"

"Yeah, what is it?"

As the two families discussed the baby, both Haruna and Kanako asked the same question:

"Will it be a sister?!"

* * *

As Sayuri ran about the garden, Shino thought of how happy he'd been since the day she was born. It was so astonishing to him that one little person could make him feel so important, and so loved. He would never admit to it, but he spoiled his little lilly. Of course, she was a thoughtful and sweet child, but she still received everything she asked for in a heartbeat. Her long lashes covered her dark gray eyes, and her face always held this deep sense of engagement during a conversation. She was so much like Natsuki that Shino thought they shared the same soul at times.

As he thought of how happy his little daughter made him, he remembered the day she was born. Holding her for the first time, he looked on in amazement as she opened her brown eyes to gaze at him. Her face had scrunched in confusion, her eyebrows furrowed as she adjusted to the light. Placing his finger in her hand, he smiled a bit as her fingers closed around it. Natsuki watched quietly, and she would retell this moment to her little daughter many times as a bedtime story.

"Sayuri, it's time for you to come inside."

Pouting, she walked over and held onto his hand when she reached him. As she did this, her hand was squeezed reassuringly, making her beam up at Shino. He took in her sweet face, the rosiness in her cheeks from running around, the telltale dirtiness of having eaten ice cream and not wiping her face, and the little teeth that had been poking their way through her gums for the past few months. Dusting her polka dot pants off, followed by her bright yellow shirt, he helped her take off her shoes and led her into the large house. He was nervous about explaining the situation to his wife and child, and wondered if they would forgive him for giving into the Hokage's demand so easily.

Pulling Sayuri into the washroom, Shino lifted her onto the countertop and picked up a washcloth, setting it under the faucet until it was wet. Wringing it out, he started to gently clean his daughter's face as she struggled. Regarding her patiently, he decided to find out the reason why she was fighting him as he cleaned her face. "Sayuri, why are you being difficult?"

The little girl huffed and crossed her arms as she pouted up at her father. "I'm not! I just don't want a clean face!"

Resisting the urge to slap his hand to his face in frustration, Shino tried to get a better answer from her. "Why not?"

She looked at him as if he had just asked the dumbest question in the world. "Because! If my face smells sweet, the butterflies will give me kisses! Don't you know!"

Shino smiled a little at her response. "That's true, but your face is really sticky right now and it's covered in dirt. The butterflies don't give kisses to little girls with dirty faces."

Sayuri's face scrunched up as she considered that. After thinking deeply, she looked up at Shino. "Ok, you can wash my face, but only if I can get butterfly kisses later!"

"Of course," he said as he kissed her forehead. Taking the cloth into his hand again, Shino resumed cleaning her face. He wondered how she had managed to get chocolate on her forehead, but then again, he kind of didn't want to know. As he continued wiping her face, Sayuri started humming a random song-one she had probably made up herself. "All done," he told her as he lifted her off of the countertop.

She smiled brightly and pulled his hand. "Let's go find Mummy! I want her to tell me a story!"

"Of course. But before storytime, I have something to tell you and your Mummy, alright my little lilly?"

"Ok!" Sayuri let go of his hand as she skipped ahead to the library where Natsuki usually was. As Shino walked into the room, he saw his wife lying on the chase lounge, a book in her hand and their daughter bouncing about in her lap. The two of them were laughing about something, and Shino smiled to himself as he watched his happy family. Natsuki turned her head towards where Shino was standing and gave him a warm smile.

"Dear, come sit with us, please." At that, he made his way over to the chase lounge, sitting down in the chair next to it. Natsuki's indigo eyes had a hint of curiosity in them. "Sayuri says you have something to tell us?" Shino chose to look away from her eyes, and watched as a piece of her long black hair slid over her shoulder. He continued to look over his wife's slender figure as he thought about what to say.

"Yes, I need to tell you two about what happened at the meeting." he paused, and felt that he had failed to stand up enough for his clan and family at the aforementioned meeting. As the head of one of the four noble clans of the village, he should have tried to be more adamant in the Aburame's wish for neutrality. "You see, the Hokage and the Council feel that despite the treaties and laws, the infighting between the clans has gone on for too long. Instead of drafting another treaty, the Hokage wishes for all the clans to participate in the creation of something more lasting..."

Natsuki's gaze became leveled as she watched Shino struggle with what he was saying. "I'm sure it isn't anything too drastic..."

Shino shook his head, lifting his eyes to meet his wife's. "That's where you're wrong. The Hokage feels that the most effective peace measures came out of arranged marriages, especially after a child was born. Now, all of the clans are to have one member be a parent to this child, and... I didn't feel it would be right to volunteer someone who wasn't there... so now I am partially a father to this baby..."

Natsuki looked at her husband with pity. She knew that he would never do anything irrational, but she felt there was something he wasn't telling her. "What would have happened if you didn't agree, dear?"

Shino sighed. "Every Aburame would have ended up in federal prison, and those who had attained any rank would have been stripped of it..." As he wallowed in his regret, he felt two small hands cupping the side of his face. Looking up, he saw Sayuri standing in front of him, her eyes filled with a determination he didn't know a two year old could have.

"Daddy, you don't have to be sad. Mummy and I still love you, and you're a good person. Nobody is allowed to be mad at Daddy because I say so, ok?"

Smiling a bit at her response, Shino nodded. "Alright, my little lilly." He lifted her into his arms, kissing the tip of her nose gently. "I believe it's time for you to go to bed."

"But what about storytime?!"

Natsuki laughed. "What story do you want to hear, my love?"

"The one about when I opened my eyes for the first time."

As Natsuki told the story, Shino watched his daughter fall asleep, and he knew that his family and his clan would accept his decision.

* * *

Kiba sighed as he walked into his mom's home. That meeting had been so stupid! The Inuzuka family shouldn't be involved in a bilateral spat between the Hyuga and Uchiha! Sighing, he went over to Akamaru, and looked at the new litter of pups that were born five weeks ago. The fuzzy little things were pouncing around the living room, trying to get their father to play. Akamaru lay there looking miserable as puppy after puppy came to jump on him.

"I'll know how you feel in a little while, boy."

"What do you mean by that?" Turning around, Kiba saw Hana standing in the doorway.

"New agreement with the Hokage. I was forced into parenthood."

"Oh. Well, think of it this way: at least now our kids will have someone to play with."

"Yeah. I guess you're right. I just never thought of myself as a dad, you know? Now I don't even get a choice in the decision. How's your baby coming along?"

"I just got a sonogram today. It's healthy and the doctor thinks I'm about four months in."

"Yeah, well, it hardly shows."

"Thanks. At least now I now someone doesn't think I'm a fat cow."

"What do you mean?"

"One of my clients asked me if I had gained weight. I mean, of course I have-I'm pregnant for God's sake! But it still upset me. It's probably just the hormones."

"Yeah, I think it is."

One of the puppies ran over to Kiba, biting his pant leg and letting out a playful growl. Laughing, Kiba picked the little guy up, playfully grabbing its ear and growling back. The puppy barked and started licking his face, with Kiba laughing the entire time.

"They must be very similar."

"What are you talking about?"

"Puppies and children. Both of them always want to play, neither knoow right from wrong, and they're both innocent and adorable."

"Yeah, you've got a point."

"Kiba, I know you're not happy about becoming a father, but of my word as your sister counts for anything, I think you'll do great at it." Hana kissed the top of his head like she had when they were kids and left the room.

As he looked at Akamaru and his pups, he saw the litter curled up against their father, sleeping. Setting the one in his arms down, he pet his dog on the head.

If parenthood as a dog was close to parenthood as a human, Kiba might not mind so much.

* * *

Minato and Kushina sat on the patio of their apartment drinking wine. Kushina had been on a mission during the meeting, and had only returned an hour ago. She was happy that her husband didn't have to imprison any of the clans, especially the Uchiha's. No matter how strong her relationship with Mikoto, Kushina worried that if they had used force, that the latter would have never forgiven her.

As she walked past the village gates, Mikoto had pulled her aside and told her the news- all of the clans had accepted, and they would now be in-laws. Mikoto was still reserved, but Kushina knew that she was excited to be a grandmother again. For a while, the two talked about preparations, and Kushina had told her about the plans to build a house by Hokage mountain for the baby and the parent's. Mikoto faltered at this, saying that Sasuke already had a house of his own, but Kushina explained that it was only to make sure that the child had some consistancy in its life, and said that Sasuke could come and go as he pleased. With the air cleared on this, Mikoto realized that she had to go home, saying something about a clan meeting. Hugging her friend goodbye, Kushina headed back to her own home and family.

Walking into the mansion, she found Minato and Naruto at the dining room table with some of her old baby books piled in front of them. When they heard her walk into the kitchen, both men perked up, and she told them that she had already heard the news. Naruto's smile fell, and Kushina walked over to her son, telling him what a great daddy he was going to be. Standing on her toes, she kissed his cheek and laughed when he asked her what she thought the baby was going to be like.

"I don't know son, but this child will probably be the most spoiled one in the village!"

Laughing, Minato added, "More likely, it'll be the most spoiled in the Land of Fire."

Naruto grinned. "I'll make sure it'll be the most spoiled child in all of the nations, believe it!"

The three of them laughed as they sat down at the table, looking over a 'What to Expect When You're Expecting' book. Kushina laughed as she remembered her pregnancy, and claimed that half of the book was b.s. Minato went up into the attic, and returned with a photo album filled with pictures of Kushina's pregnancy, the sonograms, and all of Naruto's 'firsts.' Going through every picture, and always having a story behind it, a serenity of sorts filled the room. After a few hours of this, Naruto decided he would turn in, and bid his parent's goodnight.

Minato turned to Kushina. "Would you indulge me in sharing a bottle of wine?"

Giving him a saucy smile, she winked. "It depends. What kind of wine?"

Growling a bit, he leaned in to whisper in her ear. "It's a sauvignon blanc."

"Oooh, I might just take you up on that."

"Mmmm, shall we take this outside, then?"

"Let's go."

And as they sat on the patio, Minato and Kushina felt nostalgia for the days when Naruto had been little, and they both thought of what it would be like to finally be grandparents.

Minato raised his glass. "To being grandparents at last."

Kushina smiled. "To being grandparents at last."

In his room, Naruto looked at his stuffed fox that he'd had as a baby. A fond smile crossed his face, and he took a shot of sake. "To being a dad at last."

* * *

The stillness known as nighttime settled over the village as everyone began to turn in. Tomorrow was going to be a busy day, and those who had been at the meeting had much to prepare for.

Unbeknownst to them, an old enemy watched on in the shadows. "How fun! This is quite unexpected, but who knows how this new arrival will fit into my plans? It may just prove useful..."


	2. Chapter 2: Friend Like Me

Chapter 2: Friend Like Me

hi all! I was so excited to see all of the favorites, follows, and reviews, so your reward is Chapter two! And this is where the Konoha 12's senseis make their debut in this story! Yay! I also wanted to respond to a few things I saw in the reviews:

This is a NejiTen fic, but as you'll see, the two of them have a lot of problems to get through.

Lulu: You'll see how Neji and Tenten get along, or don't, in this chapter. Just note that there'll be some drama, because otherwise they would be very boring to write!

sunshine 1381: Sasuke isn't going to interfere and make this a love triangle, and if he does things, it's just to be an ass because that's how I see his character ;p

yazaru116: Thank you! I was kind of nervous about having a lot of OC's, since they can complicate things a little too much. You'll find out whether Sakura or Tenten is going to be the surrogate. I only have one of them getting pregnant, since it would be crazy to have two pregnant women in one house, haha! But as for multiples, that gives me an idea, although probably not one you'll be expecting!

Also, I'm trying to avoid making this child a Mary Sue, so that means that this character isn't going to end up being the strongest ninja in all of history, nor is he/she going to magically save the day at the end, so if that's what you were wanting, I'm sorry :(

Enjoy!

* * *

Sasuke stepped out of the bathroom wearing only jeans, hair and chest still wet from his shower. The steam followed him, as if begging him to step back into its welcoming warmth again. Sasuke toweled his hair roughly, walking over to his bed to watch Katsuro sleep. The two year old had managed to use his father as a bed during the night, with Sasuke waking up to the boy's head on his chest, with a bit of drool coming from his son's mouth. It had been difficult to get out of bed without waking the toddler up, but he had somehow managed to do it.

Walking over to Katsuro, Sasuke tried to rouse him by shaking his shoulder gently. "Katsuro, you need to wake up now," he said softly into his son's ear. The little one groaned tiredly, rubbing his face into his father's pillow.

Sasuke took the blankets off of him, "Katsuro, you're going to Grandma's house today, so you need to get up now."

More groaning was the only response. Sighing, Sasuke decided to play dirty. "If you don't get up right now, you're not allowed to go to the park at all for the rest of the month."

Katsuro shot up, shouting "I'm awake! I'm awake!"

Sasuke smirked to himself, revelling in his victory. "Good. Now go to your room and get dressed- I already laid out your clothes for you."

Nodding, Katsuro yawned dramatically and shuffled into his room, doing what his father had told him. After he had put his clothes on, he walked into the kitchen, seeing his Vati making him an omelette. Sasuke smirked slightly as he looked at his son.

"Katsuro, your shirt is on backwards." Bending down, he helped his son out of the blue and green striped polo and put it on correctly. Noticing that Katsuro's shoes were untied, Sasuke decided to show his son how to tie them for the umpteenth time. Even though his son hadn't learned how to do it yet, Sasuke was confident that within the next three months he would be tying his shoes on his own. Satisfied with Katsuro's put-together appearance, Sasuke stood and motioned his son over to the table and served him his omelette.

Katsuro scrunched up his nose at the vegetables he saw put into his breakfast. His Vati had served him an omelette with spinach, red peppers, tomatoes, and mushrooms- even though he had frequently told Vati how much he absolutely hated said vegetables. Looking up at his father, who had sat down next to him, Katsuro spoke up. "Vati, may I please not eat vegetables today? They make me so sad."

Raising an eyebrow at his son's request, Sasuke responded "I thought you wanted to be a strong ninja?"

"Well I do Vati, but vegetables are evil! They just make people unhappy and make wars and bombs and stuff!"

"Vegetables are not evil, and they do not cause wars. Even if it makes you unhappy, if you don't eat them, you won't have the strength to become a ninja, and you're going to be short and weak."

"But if I'm short, I can hide in small places!"

"That's enough, Katsuro. I'm the boss, and I say you have to eat your vegetables, or you won't be allowed to go trick or treating in three weeks."

Pouting, Katsuro ate his omlette, making a face every time he ate a vegetable. He finished his breakfast silently, and drank about half of his milk. He looked up at Sasuke, "I'm done, Vati."

Seeing that the kid had finished most of his plate, Sasuke nodded. "Wait for me in the bathroom, I'll be up in a minute to help you brush your teeth."

Katsuro lifted his arms, and Sasuke helped him out of his booster seat. While his child was in the bathroom, Sasuke cleared the table and put the breakfast dishes into the dishwasher and wiped the countertops. While he was doing his morning chores, he thought about the new baby, and what it would all be like. How could seven men and three women possibly be combined into one child? The female to male ratio was uneven, and no matter how innovative Lady Tsunade's treatments were, he still couldn't help but doubt that the child would make it to birth. Even though it was saddening, Sasuke felt that being critical about this was the best way to protect himself from any hurt that may come out of this.

Walking into the bathroom, he saw Katsuro standing on his little blue stool, waiting patiently with his Buzz Lightyear toothbrush and toothpaste. Sasuke helped his son put the toothpaste on the brush, guiding with words instead of doing it for him. Katsuro was highly intelligent for his age, and had been able to say basic words like 'Mama' and 'Vati' at eleven months old. At the same point in time, the kid was also able to stand and take a few steps, and had been walking on his own just a few weeks after his first birthday. Sasuke was proud that his son was a prodigy, and wanted his son to be as independent as possible, which was why he used words to guide him with basic tasks like washing his hair, picking up his toys, and brushing his teeth.

"Make sure you brush in circles, not just up and down." Katsuro nodded, concentrating on brushing as hard as he could.

"You don't need to brush so hard- just make sure you get every spot you can, ok?" Letting up on the pressure of his toothbrush, Katsuro made sure to get every part of his mouth brushed and foamy with toothpaste.

"Alright, now you can spit. But try not to get it all over the sink this time." Katsuro opened his mouth a tiny bit, and watched as the paste slowly dripped out of his mouth. In the process, he had gotten some of it onto his chin and the collar of his shirt. Sighing, Sasuke gave Katsuro a disposable cup to rinse his mouth with, and used a wet paper towel to wipe his chin and shirt.

The child struggled when his father started wiping his face. "Vati, nooooo! I don't like this!" Katsuro tried to push Sasuke's hands away, but it was futile. Ever defiant, he turned his face away and tried to step off of the stool, only for Sasuke to completely restrain him and finish wiping his face.

"You should know by now that if you try to fight Vati, Vati always wins," Sasuke said with a smirk, flicking Katsuro's nose lightly. He lifted his son off of the stool and walked him towards the front door. Checking the time on his phone, he saw it was 7:00 AM, and decided to hurry. It would take about twenty minutes to walk to his parent's house, and to get to the hospital from there would take at least another twenty, plus checking in would take an extra ten.

Picking up Katsuro's coat, he helped the boy into it and buttoned it tightly. Though it was only October seventh, autumn in the Leaf could be windy, and the chill of the gusts was often twenty degrees cooler than the air itself. Putting his own coat on, Sasuke enabled the Security Seal around his property, and took Katsuro's hand and walked outside. Locking the front door, he headed towards his parent's house.

"We don't have a lot of time, so I'm going to let you ride on my back," Sasuke squatted, and Katsuro ran over and jumped onto his back. Standing, Sasuke walked at a brisk pace, ignoring how Katsuro's grip around his neck was choking him a little. It only took fifteen minutes to get to the main Uchiha mansion, and Sasuke put his son down, despite the whines he received from the little one. Mikoto opened the door almost immediately, a warm smile on her face.

"Good morning Sasuke, good morning Katsuro," she greeted, and stood aside so that they could walk in. Both of them took their shoes off, and walked into the warm house. The main foyer was large, with a high ceiling and a chandelier in its middle. The color of the room was a light champagne, with coordinating custom-made furniture. There was a bamboo plant in the corner by the large staircase, and the layout of the room was like something out of 'Gone with the Wind.' On the wall to the left of the front door, a large fireplace blazed with a log alight, and on the mantle were family photo albums and the like. Mounted on the wall above it was a family picture, taken about twenty years ago, with Fugaku, Sasuke, Mikoto, and Itachi. It was the one that Mikoto was the most fond of, simply because it was the one most representative of her family. Even though Fugaku and Itachi both had stern looks on their faces, she felt that it was simply perfect.

Hugging her grandson, she watched as he ran up to his cousin, Toshio. Toshio was five, and quiet almost to the point of being antisocial, very similar to Itachi. Another similarity he had with his father was his extraordinary intelligence, and his ability to calculate in the height of a situation. He had the skills of a genin, even though he was barely entering the Academy. Although he would rarely converse, Toshio was very well-spoken, and he was also sweet and thoughtful. He was also passionately loyal to his family, his clan, and his village, and he made an excellent heir.

"Sasuke, I just heard the news, congratulations!" said a voice from the kitchen doorway. Masumi, Itachi's longtime lover and wife, looked to her brother in law with the understanding and kindness that she was known for. She walked over and hugged Sasuke gently, leaning up to kiss his cheek. Masumi was very pretty, and her figure was willowy with how tall and thin she was. Nevertheless, she had been an excellent and sharp shinobi, and as an ANBU she had stopped over twenty attempts to bring down the Leaf Village. She and Itachi had fallen in love when they were fifteen, and had been allowed to marry as Masumi was completely Uchiha. It was in her voice that the meaning of her name- true clarity- was found; it was feminine and clear, and whenever she spoke, people always seemed to quiet down and listen. Itachi said that her name well reflected her personality, and that was why he loved her.

"Thank you both for watching Katsuro today. Heaven knows where his mother ran off to."

"Did you have an argument with her again?" Mikoto asked, concerned. While she and Masumi got along perfectly, Satomi had been a different story. Mikoto knew how much her son had argued with his wife, and didn't agree with the way her daughter in law had treated her son and grandson. In addition, Satomi was very rude and demanding, and she often disrespected those around her- including the Uchiha Elders- which had shocked Mikoto immensely. Katsuro also said that he preferred to be at her house as compared to being home alone with his mother, and Mikoto had an underlying suspicion that it was because Satomi neglected and possibly even abused him.

"Yes, we did, and it will be our last since I'm going to file for divorce later on today."

Masumi frowned, "I'm so sorry. If you or Katsuro need anything, you know that Itachi and I are always willing to help you out."

"Thank you. I don't mean to be rude, but I have to get going. I'm running a bit late, and knowing the hospital, there's bound to be some kind of screw-up during the check-in." Kissing his mother and sister in law goodbye, he waved to his son on his way out and left.

* * *

Ino wrapped Shigeru's scarf tightly around his neck, ignoring his whining.

"But Mama, I don't want to wear a scarf! Scarfs are for girls!"

"No they are not, Shigeru. And even if they were, I'd still make you wear one- it's cold out there!"

Shigeru's eyebrows furrowed together, and he stuck his lips into a pout. Taking his mother's hand, he walked with her to his Grandpa's house. If Grandpa knew how mean Mama was being, she would get in trouble, and then she would be nice to him forever! Smiling to himself, Shigeru decided that as soon as he saw Grandpa, he would tell on Mama.

Ino unlatched the front gate to her parent's mansion, passing by her mother's version of Versailles. It was nowhere near Versailles in terms of size, but in terms of grandeur, it was equal, and perhaps even more extravagant. The menagerie in the backyard could be seen from the front, and Ino remembered how most of her childhood days consisted of playing in the trees and gardens on her family's estate.

Arriving at the front door, Ino knocked. Within a few seconds, one of the maids her family hired opened it, greeting Ino and Shigeru and allowing them inside.

"Good morning darling," her mother said, coming in from the kitchen. Smiling down at her grandson, she stroked his thick blond hair lovingly. "And good morning to you especially, Shigeru. I hope you're excited about staying with us,"

"Yeah, I guess so. Grandmama, I have to tell you that Mama is mean to me all the time! She didn't let me have dessert last night 'cause I didn't eat dinner, and- and this morning she made me wear this girly scarf, and I told her I didn't want to and-"

Inoichi had walked in, stopping his grandson's rant by ruffling his hair. Shigeru smiled up at his Grandfather, and Inoichi beamed down at the little one. Smiling, he embraced his daughter. "How did the news go over with Tadashi last night?"

Kneeling down to Shigeru's eye level, Ino asked him to play outside, which he happily agreed to and ran out the back door. With her son out of the room, Ino could now tell her parents exactly what had happened. "Tadashi didn't take it well at all, and he kind of walked out on us last night. Shigeru's pretty upset about it, and he has meltdowns about every three hours. The poor baby didn't sleep well at all last night, so he's really tired."

"I knew Tadashi wasn't very much of a man, but I doubt he would just walk out," Inoichi said with an eyebrow raised.

Ino scowled a little- she didn't have time to argue with her parents about the sanctity of marriage right now. "Well, he did. I believe he has terminated the marriage contract by doing so, and I want to freeze my assets and divorce him."

Her mother frowned deeply, not enjoying the talk of divorce. She and Inoichi shared the belief that marriage should last a lifetime- even when things become rough. All problems were worth attempting to talk through, and beyond that, marriage was not only an institution before the people being joined, but it was an institution that was in front of the heavens themselves! Attempting to calm her daughter down, she tried to reason with Ino. "Darling, he might have just been emotional and needed some fresh air. Heaven knows, it was a lot for even me to take in!"

Shaking her head at her parent's refusal to listen, Ino decided to leave. "We'll talk about this another time, but I have to head to the hospital now," she said as she opened the back door leading to the menagerie. "Shigeru! I'm leaving now!"

The little boy perked up, running over to his mother and latching onto her as tightly as he could. "Mama," he looked up at her with tears in his eyes, "I don't want you to leave. I'll be a good boy, I just want you to stay with me!" Shigeru had started to cry, his shoulders shaking. He felt his Mama hug him, and he buried his face into her chest and gripped her shirt as tightly as he could. He started sobbing, his face heating up with frustration. "Please don't leave me! I don't even have Daddy anymore!" Ino had picked him up and started to rock him, rubbing his back and barely noticing as her father stepped outside.

Kissing Shigeru's forehead, Ino spoke softly to him. "I'm not leaving you like that. I'll always be here for you. I love you so, so much, sweetie, and I never want you to forget that. You're going to be at Grandmama and Grandpa's house for a little while, and I'll come pick you up when I'm done, ok?"

Shigeru had the most heartbroken expression on his face. "Wh- why can't I g-go with-th you?"

Sighing, Ino tried to explain. "Because this is a very grown up thing, and you won't understand what's happening. Having a baby is very complicated, and you would be bored while I had to go through medical testing. It'll only be for a little while, and you'll be much happier playing here."

"NO I WON'T! I'LL ONLY BE HAPPY WITH MAMA!" Shigeru screamed, only for his Mama to look like she was going to cry. Inoichi held his arms out to take his grandson, giving Ino a look of understanding. Handing Shigeru off to her father, Ino forced herself not to hear her baby boy crying out to her, and she walked out the door.

Taking long, deep breaths, Ino made her way to Shikamaru's home, where she would meet with him and Choji to go to the hospital. On the way there, she contemplated what would have happened if she had volunteered someone else to do this. She had a few younger cousins that weren't married, and surely they would have leapt at the opportunity to help the clan. But Ino knew she would never push this kind of burden onto someone as young as they were, so she sucked up her angst and knocked on Shikamaru's front door.

Kaori answered, giving Ino a small smile. "Hey, come on in. Shikamaru and Choji are lazing about, and I think you're the only one who can get them out of here."

Laughing a little, Ino stepped inside and saw Shikamaru and Kanako playing Simon Says, and of course Kanako was Simon. Catching sight of his teammate and friend, Shikamaru stood and smiled, walking over to her and giving her a tight hug. Kanako stood up, screaming in happiness at the sight of her 'Auntie Ino'. The two adults separated slightly, arms wrapped around each other's shoulders.

Kanako bounced up and down excitedly, even when Ino had picked her up and held her. "Auntie Ino, did you know Daddy's having a baby again?! But it's not with Mommy, which is weird, and Uncle Choji's having the baby too, which is weirder, and there's going to be a lot of Mommies and Daddies with this baby, and it's all just so weird! Are you going to be a Mommy too, Auntie Ino?"

Ino couldn't help but smile at her goddaughter. "Yes, I knew all of that. I was at the meeting, too, silly goose! And yes, I'm going to be a Mommy, too."

Kanako's eyes widened. "Then can you promise me that you're going to have my baby sister! It has to be a sister- all boys are stupid! Except for Daddy, and Uncle Choji, oh! And Uncle Asuma is really smart. And Grandpa and-"

Ino laughed and set the girl down to continue her ranting. "I can't promise you a baby sister, but I promise that I'll take care of your Daddy, ok?" _Yeah right,_ a voice in her head told her,_ you couldn't even get your own child's father to stay!_

"Ok, but I want a pinky swear out of it!" Ino laughed and did as was requested of her, wrapping her long, elegant pinky around the child's stubby and slightly dirty one. Satisfied, Kanako went to play with her toys that were strewn about the room.

Shikamaru tightened his hold around Ino's shoulders. "How did Tadashi take it?" Ino shook her head, as if she didn't even want to think about it, causing Shikamaru to bring her into a tight hug. He could feel her tense, like she was about to tell him something, but then she froze up again.

"I'll tell you about it later," she said, hugging him tighter. It reminded her of when they were just genin- a time where they could just be happy and free, and the world hadn't been so politically motivated.

Shikamaru held her for a while, knowing that it couldn't have gone over well. He had been so disappointed when Ino and Tadashi had gotten married; not only did he see her outgoing nature falter, but he saw her will power snap in half. Shikamaru blamed Tadashi- the guy was selfish, and there was something fishy about the way he acted. Choji felt the same way, and even Asuma thought very little of him. When they tried to tell her father about it, Inoichi said that Ino was overreacting, and that she'd be back to her normal self soon enough.

Choji entered the room with little Haruna in tow. Looking at his friends, he ushered his daughter away. "Why don't you and Kanako go play in another room? " Haruna nodded, grabbing her friend by the wrist and going into the latter's room.

"Is everything ok?" He hated seeing Ino upset like this- she was always the strong one out of the three of them. When Asuma Sensei had almost died from Hidan's attacks, the man had given her the responsibility to look after him and Shikamaru, and she had been fully prepared for that duty. It was because of her strong will that she was able to stabilize their Sensei, and it was because of her determination that they had all made it out alive.

Ino separated herself from Shikamaru. "Yeah, everything's fine. Anyways, we have to get going soon, so you might want to say goodbye to the girls." Looking down at her, Shikamaru's concern grew, but he kissed Kanako goodbye, ignoring her protests about kisses. Choji held Haruna, who smiled and accepted her father's affections, even giving him a sticky and wet kiss on the cheek. Both of the little girls hugged their Auntie Ino, wishing them good luck at the hospital.

The three made small talk as they walked to the hospital, occasionally making jokes as they passed a shop. Stepping into the lobby of the family planning center they saw that everyone else had already arrived. Kiba and Shino were talking to each other in one corner of the room, while Sasuke, Sakura and Naruto were having a loud discussion in another corner-well, more like Naruto was being loud and the others were simply tolerating it. Neji and Tenten, who were normally on very good terms with one another, seemed to be purposely avoiding each other as they sat on opposite sides of the room.

The general buzz of conversation stopped shortly after, with Tsunade strutting in. "I haven't seen all of you together in a while! Anyways, let's go to the back so I can explain how this is going to happen." She stepped aside, pressing her back against the door to hold it open. Each of them entered the narrow hall and Tsunade took them into what looked like a large OB/GYN room, with multiple diagrams of the reproductive organs and a table for pelvic exams. There was also a large screen next to the computer, and it was connected to a stylus. Ten chairs were situated in front of the screen, and everyone sat in a chair. Tenten and Neji had ended up being seated next to each other, and neither of the two seemed thrilled about that.

Tsunade walked over to the computer, clicking a few times before she found the document she wanted. The screen lit up with a presentation about IVF, and she cleared her throat.

"Many of you are probably familiar with the basics of IVF, but I thought I would show you a bit more on what to expect. All of you will have to yell me about your medical and fertility history, and you'll all end up having a test of some sort. The males will need to provide a sample for sperm count, and the women will have an ultrasound."

The screen showed the image of a sperm under a microscope, and of a standard ultrasound without a baby.

"We will then remove eggs from the females, and the men will be sent off to provide sperm via ejaculation. At that point, we are going to use chakra to split the eggs and sperm up evenly, then sew each of the samples together. From there, we will determine which female will be the surrogate, and begin incubation."

There was an image of what Tsunade had mentioned, with two parts of a sperm being linked together by the green glow of medicinal chakra. Sasuke was slightly fascinated, as was everyone else, and he leaned forward to get a closer look at the screen.

"A week from now, the eggs will be fertilized and ready to be injected, and from then on out, the surrogate will need someone to inject progesterone into her daily. "

A cringe-worthy needle was now adorning the screen, only instead of the needle being on its own, it was being used to inject something anally. Tenten secretly wished she wouldn't be the surrogate.

Tsunade smiled smugly. "Are there any questions?"

Everyone was silent, with the ones who were already parents wanting to get this over with, while the ones who were childless were wanting to get the hell out of there!

Each of them were called off one by one, being interrogated about their sex life and fertility history, poked and prodded by needles, and examined in very awkward places. As Tenten was waiting for Tsunade to do her ultrasound, she was nervous. What if she was infertile?! Would she be kicked out of this entirely? And would it only prove Neji's point that she physically could not be a mother..?

Tsunade walked in, smiling at her and going over to the sink to wash her hands. "So, how has the testing been going?"

"Alright, I guess. I just never realized how much went into IVF before. "

Chuckling as she put her gloves on, Tsunade took a seat in the chair by the machine. "Not many people do. You'd be surprised to know how many couples walk in here and expect this to be a magical cure for infertility- and how few of them actually end up having a baby." She turned the machine on, reaching over and grabbing the gel to rub onto Tenten. Rubbing it on, Tsunade took the wand into her hand, and the ultrasound appeared on the screen.

Tenten glanced at it, amazed that the inside of her body looked like that. Tsunade noticed this and smiled. "Everything looks pretty healthy, and judging by the shape of it, you may have an easier time conceiving than others. How do you feel?"

"Nervous."

"That's completely normal-I'd probably be worried if you didn't feel that way." Tsunade removed the wand and handed Tenten a towel to clean her stomach off as the other sat up. "I know you'll make an excellent mother, if I may say so myself! Just think, a year from now, you'll have a little version of yourself running around the village!"

Laughing, Tenten left, thanking the doctor for her work that day. She walked into the lobby, seeing that everyone else had been waiting for her.

"Finally, I can get something to eat!" Kiba yelled as Tenten came in.

Shocked, she asked "Were you guys waiting for me?"

Ino scoffed, tossing her elegant blond hair over her shoulder. "Of course! We were all going out to lunch together, and it'd be wrong for us to leave you out!"

Naruto smiled, scratching the back of his head. "Yeah, and it also feels like all of us hardly ever get to talk anymore- we've all been so busy with missions and whatnot. Truth is, I kind of just want to hang out with people who aren't part of my squad!"

Tenten beamed, and Neji couldn't help but stare at her. He had thought she was beautiful since they were genin, but as she became a woman, Tenten had evolved from being a pretty young girl, into an exceptionally radiant woman. Neji wondered what her hair looked like when it was down. Was her hair wavy, or straight, or perhaps even curly? He loved the way her large brown eyes reflected her emotions, and the way the dark, thick lashes fanned out above them. Tenten's lips were plump, and her dimples were absolutely adorable. She was also incredibly fit, despite her bust being average and her hips being slightly narrow. What really made Neji love her body was her long, thin legs- which he secretly had a thing for. He needed to stop staring at her; he was probably being creepy and someone was bound to have caught on.

Sasuke stood. "Are we going out, or what?"

Tenten's gaze shifted to him, and she smiled apologetically. "Sorry to keep you guys waiting for so long! Let's go!"

The group started to walk towards the Barbeque restaurant, and Neji stealthily made his way to be next to Tenten. He cleared his throat, catching her attention. Even though she smiled slightly, he didn't miss the slight look of hurt in her eyes, and he knew that he was the reason behind it. He decided he needed to apologize to her, but how? "So, how are you feeling about this whole thing?"

She looked ahead of them, watching Naruto, Choji, and Kiba lead the way to the restaurant. "Fine. I mean, I know having a baby is a lot of work, and I'm nervous about it, but there are enough experienced parents there to help us that I'm pretty confident this will go over well. Actually, I'm kind of excited to be a mother- and I'm even more excited to find out who the baby will look like most! And you?"

"I feel the same as you." She hummed in acknowledgement of his statement. He sighed, better to get this off my chest now than to keep feeling guilty. "Tenten, I'm sorry about what I said to you at the meeting- I guess I was just afraid that you would get caught up in this mess and not be able to handle it."

She didn't respond for a while, and when she did, what she said caught him off guard. "Thank you for your concern, Neji, but I'm an adult, and I can handle myself perfectly well." She started to speed up her walk, but he grabbed her wrist and pulled her back gently.

"I didn't mean to offend you. I just didn't want you to base your decision on what everyone else was doing. But, I'm happy that you'll be a part of this with me, and I wanted you to know that." He went to stroke the side of her face, but Tenten turned away, striding over to Ino and excitedly started discussing plans for the nursery, baby names, and the like.

"Don't even bother, Hyuga. Once a woman decides to be mad, she will stay mad until she so pleases. Remember, they aren't all like your cousin." Sasuke's smirk was devious as he walked next to Neji. "Besides, most of them believe that they're inherently right, so don't even try to waste your breath."

Turning back to Sasuke, Neji smirked just as evilly. "Oh? I suppose you know this based on the success of your marriage? Butt out, Uchiha, you don't even know the half of it!"

"You're not as smooth as you think you are; I caught you staring at her just now, and everyone has been talking about the two of you hooking up since we were twelve. Too bad your clan has that law- otherwise you two would have been happily married by now, probably with kids, too."

Neji growled under his breath, and Sasuke heard. "Listen, Sasuke, I'm just as unhappy with this situation as you are, so stop trying to rile me up- you'll only end up regretting it."

"It's not like I have to try too hard to get a rise out of you. And I wasn't saying those things to be an ass, I was saying them so that everyone could shut up about your romantic tension with her and focus on preparing for this child."

"That's pretty funny! Don't even bother trying to convince me that you're doing this to be a good samaritan. Anyways, we should probably tone this down before the others start to notice. I don't want to share my first child with you, Uchiha, but I don't want this kid to grow up caught in the middle of constant arguing, either. So let's just pretend to make nice and stay out of each other's way. Deal?"

Sasuke scrutinized the other before deciding that Neji meant what he said. "Whatever you say."

The group had arrived at the restaurant, and they quickly settled into a booth, with Tenten pointedly sitting next to Sakura and Ino, leaving Neji with Kiba and Shino. It annoyed him how she had denied his apology- something she had never done before. What the hell more could she want?! He decided he would try to talk to her about it again later this evening when they were to go to dinner with Gai Sensei and Lee.

The waitress came over to the table, and Ino ordered three bottles of sake, wine, and champagne- each. "Ino, why so much alcohol?! Are you up to something?" Sakura asked.

Ino laughed. "Hahaha, no, it's very simple. The sake is while we're waiting for the food to cook, the wine for during dinner, and the champagne is to toast the new baby!" Everyone seemed to agree with her logic, and poured themselves shots of sake when it arrived. There was a lot of small talk as the food cooked, and somewhere in those small conversations the topic of kids came up.

Shikamaru was the first to complain about Kanako's refusal to eat. "I understand that she probably doesn't like certain foods, but if it's anything that isn't sugar, it's like she's terrified of eating it. Don't get me wrong- she's a great kid, and she's pretty bright, but if she doesn't eat soon, she's going to get sick. And the doctor already said she's underweight, too. Man, this is such a drag!"

Choji laughed. "She ate pretty well for me last night, so I think it's just you and your wife!"

Shikamaru scowled. "Are you really on that again, Choji? Just because you've gotten her to eat a few times doesn't mean it'll happen again, alright?! Man, you're almost as bad as Kaori!"

Ino laughed. "Yeah, it's pretty normal for them to not want to eat anything from time to time- Shigeru's been trying to convince me for the last three weeks that he's allergic to anything he doesn't like. It's been worse than an S-rank mission at times, but it fades after a few months."

"Sayuri has never really had that problem- she's always been pretty obedient."

Kiba laughed. "Man, your daughter's got quite a personality on her! She's so outgoing that you'd never believe she's related to you! It's the same with Hinata and Hideaki. Speaking of which, how're they doing, Neji?"

Neji sighed. "They're doing alright, same as usual. Although Hideaki has gotten into the habit of throwing tantrums over naps and bedtimes lately."

Ino rolled her eyes. "Don't they all? I swear Shigeru's never been as difficult as he is now! I mean, he's only going to be three in a little over two weeks, but sometimes, I don't know if he'll ever grow out of it. Oh, and his party's on the nineteenth, and you're all invited, so bring your kids."

Shikamaru smirked. "So what kind of theme did he demand this year?"

"He wanted to have a waterslide, can you believe that! And he refused to listen to me when I told him that it'd be too cold out. I mean, obviously I didn't order one, so I tried to compromise with a jumping castle, but I think he's still mad at me. Speaking of birthdays, what does Katsuro want for his, Sasuke? Isn't it coming up soon?"

Sasuke had lit up a cigarette, and took a long drag of it before replying. "I don't know, he's been pretty upset since I told him about the baby last night, so he's just been crying and carrying on ever since. It doesn't help that Satomi left him last night, either, the bitch."

Sakura gasped. "She left you because of this?!"

"More like I kicked her ass out because I was tired of her shit. She practically admitted to neglecting Katsuro, and I never really loved her anyways. I'm just pissed that she chose to ruin my son's childhood by being such a shitty mother to him"

Ino sighed. "It's been the same with Shigeru this morning. Tadashi walked out last night, and he's probably going to try to bring this to court by saying that I violated the marriage contract by doing this. My poor baby didn't really sleep last night, and he didn't want me to leave him with my parents this morning, either. I'm just so mixed up with my emotions right now. God, I think I might need an extra bottle of sake just for myself, right now!"

Shikamaru scowled. "I always knew that scrawny little bastard would do something like this! If you of Shigeru ever need anything, just let me know- I'll take care of this myself if I have to."

Ino's humorless laugh angered Choji. "Same here, Ino. I'll kick his ass for you if you want."

"Sakura, I wanted to know if you could watch Shigeru at my place later this week? Because of that stupid bitch Tadashi, I have to file for divorce. Are you free tomorrow?"

Sighing, Sakura shook her head. "I have a sixteen hour shift at the hospital. I'm sorry, Ino. I could call in sick if you want?"

Ino shook her head. "No, I won't make you do that. God, now I need to hire a sitter."

"I'll do it."

Everyone turned to stare at Tenten. She raised her eyebrow. "What? I'm going to be a mother soon, anyways, so I might as well get used to little kids, right?"

Sasuke grunted in a way that was eerily similar to his father. "Guess you're right. You should try to watch Katsuro while you're at it."

Shrugging, Tenten agreed. "Alright. I mean, how hard can babysitting be compared to an S-class mission, right?"

There was a moment of silence before everyone started laughing. Well, Shino just kind of smiled, but he still found humor in Tenten's statement.

Sasuke was the first to recover. "You really don't know anything about kids, do you? If you're free tomorrow, I'll let you see what he's like at the park."

"Alright, you're on."

Raising his eyebrow, Sasuke sat up. "Meet me at the park at 1:00 PM. You have no idea what you just got yourself into."

Naruto laughed. "You know, it's not that Katsuro's a demon child or anything, Sasuke's just a really mean parent."

"Shut up, idiot. He's a nightmare in the afternoon, and he doesn't get better after he's had a nap, either. If anything, he's worse, but if he doesn't have a nap, he has catastrophic meltdowns at dinner. God, I can't wait until he's in school so someone else can deal with this."

"Same here," the other parents said.

The meat had finished cooking, and everyone ate and drank their wine. The alcohol had started to affect most of them at this point, so their moods started to perk up and they were all pretty much a laughing, tipsy lot by the time the meal was over.

The bottles of champagne were passed around, and everyone served themselves generously. Naruto stood. "I know that a lot of you probably think I'm irresponsible, but I just wanted you guys to know that I'm really happy that we're all going to be parents to the same child, and I appreciate that a ton. So here's to being parents!"

"To being parents!" With the meal and toast over, the group headed back to the hospital to find out the results. Tenten, Sakura, and Ino had started to discuss who would be the surrogate, and agreed that Ino's previous pregnancy made her the most likely. Tenten sighed in relief- from what Ino and Hinata had told her, giving birth sounded awful! Not to mention the limitations that pregnant women experienced. With this bit of knowledge, Tenten felt at ease, and was happy that she could be a mother without having to go into labor or breastfeed!

Everyone settled into the room they had initially been in earlier that morning. A few minutes later, Tsunade came in, holding a clipboard and several folders with files in them. She passed out the folders to everyone, with all of their lab results. After giving them a few minutes to look over their lab work, Tsunade cleared her throat to gather their attention.

"So now we come to the moment of truth, but I first want to say something to all of you; Even if you are not the surrogate, part of the baby is still yours. Try to be highly sympathetic to the surrogate, seeing as how she's going through something complicated and doesn't need your shit added to it. And for the sake of us all, please try to keep your families from fighting from here on out- I don't need the surrogate going into early labor due to stress."

Tsunade turned to her clipboard, placing her glasses on the bridge of her nose. Tenten relaxed- it wasn't like she was going to be the surrogate!

"Congratulations, Tenten, our results have concluded that you are to be the surrogate to this child!"

… Or so she thought. She couldn't help but groan to herself as her peers came over to offer their congratulations and support. Ino seemed happiest of all, the bitch. She was the one who should have been more likely to carry children, what with her past pregnancy. Nevertheless, she thanked her peers, and as the room started to clear, Tsunade called out to them.

"I still need someone to volunteer to inject progesterone into her!"

Tenten slapped her face- his was sure to be awkward! Not to mention that it was completely demeaning to have to have someone else inject something into her ass daily. Oh, god, she couldn't imagine how awkward it was bound to be to have someone she didn't know well doing it! Why her?! Why was she the one to-

...Wait, did Neji just raise his hand? Was he seriously volunteering to do this?! Tenten would almost have rather had Kiba or Shino volunteer, given how angry she was with him.

Tsunade smiled. "Excellent! Tenten, I'll need you to be here next Monday at ten in the morning so that I can inject the fertilized eggs into you. In the meantime, you and Neji need to decide on a time to meet daily for the progesterone injections, which I want you to start tomorrow at the latest. It's ready for pickup at the pharmacy right now."

At a loss for words, Tenten nodded. Neji however, was actually able to speak, and so he thanked Tsunade as the group walked out of the room.

Stopping at the pharmacy, Ino laughed awkwardly. "Well, I guess we'll leave you two here, since you have a lot to talk about!"

"Wait-"

"Bye!" And just like that, Tenten and Neji were alone. She turned, about to yell at him, when a pharmacist walked over to the counter.

"May I help you miss?"

Sighing, Tenten turned to her. "Yes, I'm here to pick up my progesterone?"

"I'll bring that right up."

"Thank you." Turning to Neji, she glared. "What the hell was that about back there?!"

Neji returned her glare. "You need to take these injections daily, and since no one else was volunteering, I thought I would-"

"Oh, so I guess you were just deciding to be a regular knight in shining armor, were you?!"

"Now wait a minute, Tenten, I don't deserve any of this!"

"Yeah, you're right! You don't deserve to talk to me. Ever since you became a jonin, you've really started talking down to everyone, especially me!- and I'm really tired of it!"

The pharmacist walked up with a paper bag, looking at the two of them nervously. Tenten smiled at the young girl. "Thank you, have a nice evening." And Tenten stormed out of the room, with Neji following.

The pharmacist stood there nervously. "You're... welcome?"

As they walked past the outer gates of the hospital, Neji grabbed Tenten by the shoulders and pinned her against the chain link fence. "Would you just calm the hell down and listen to me for a second?! What the hell is the matter with you?! I haven't done anything to deserve your anger, and you're still mad at me for no reason even after I've apologized-"

"Neji, just stop it!"

"Stop what, Tenten?! Stop looking out for you, stop being concerned about you, what?!"

"Stop being so controlling and passing it off as being worried about me! I get it- you think you're better than me, and maybe you are, but just because you're a jonin and I'm a chunin doesn't make me some damsel in distress!"

"This has nothing to do with our ranks as ninja, Tenten! I don't know why you're trying to make it about that, but I'm really tired of you acting like I'm the bad guy here!"

"I'm not even doing that! You never listen to anyone- you're too used to being in command that you don't know when to let go! You're such a nitpicky control freak, and I can't stand that about you!"

"Oh really?! Well then why didn't you say something earlier? Like say, when we were genin?"

"Because I didn't need to! You used to respect me, Neji, but now, I don't know if you respect anyone of a lower rank than you!"

Tenten's eyes filled with tears, and she pushed him aside. Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to be calm. "Anyways, we have dinner with Gai Sensei and Lee in a few minutes, so let's just drop it and head over to the restaurant."

"Tenten, I-"

"Just drop it, ok?!"

Growling Neji felt his anger rise. "Fine! Be that way!" Huffing, they walked to the restaurant, where they saw Gai and Lee already waiting for them at the table.

"Neji! Tenten! How nice to see you two on this youthful evening!" Gai said with a smile before he noticed the frowns on their faces. "Why do you both look so angry? It ruins the youth on your faces!"

Faking happiness, Tenten turned to him. "It's nothing, Gai Sensei. How was your mission?"

Gai's face darkened a bit. "Oh, that. Well, let's just say it wasn't pretty."

"What happened? Nothing too awful, right?"

"There have been rumors of the Akatsuki trying to rise up again, on top of multiple ANBU murders. We went to investigate, but none of the leads were relevant. But beyond that, Orochimaru's activity has been suspiciously quiet for a while, and that can't be good."

Neji narrowed his eyes. "Do you think that Orochimaru is potentially cooperating with the Akatsuki?"

Lee frowned thoughtfully. "It is uncertain at this point, but we will continue to investigate. I am getting depressed, and no longer feeling youthful. Let us talk of better news!"

Gai laughed. "You're right Lee! Word on the street is that the two of you are expecting a little bun in the oven!"

Tenten sighed. "Yes, that's true. I just found out that I'm going to be the surrogate to the baby shared between the clans."

"Congratulations, Tenten! This is such wonderful news! You will be the most splendid mother ever! And you too, Neji! I cannot wait to see this baby, and I vow to protect it with my life!"

Neji laughed. "Alright Lee, calm down. There are a lot of things still left to decide, like a custody schedule."

Tenten nodded. "And how missions are going to be given to the parents-"

"-How much do each clan pays towards taking care of the baby-"

"-When to start training the child-"

"-Who will start training him or her-"

"-Who will be in the room during delivery-"

"And above all,"

"What the name will be," they said at the same time.

Gai laughed. "That sounds like a lot of planning, but I'm sure the two of you are going to do an excellent job with this child. I wish you both the best of luck in this endeavor, and I can't wait to be a grandfather of sorts."

"Thank you, I'm excited as well," Tenten smiled.

"Yes, thank you, Gai Sensei."

They finished their meal, with Gai and Lee doing most of the talking, and the tension between Neji and Tenten remaining. As they parted ways, both of them felt guilt, but the pride and sense of justification overwhelmed that. These next nine months were going to be a nightmare.

* * *

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but it's kind of nice to have some ramen again," Sakura giggled, as she looked to her former teammates and Sensei. As they left the hospital, Sasuke, Sakura, and Naruto had run into Kakashi, who had invited them to ramen. The three of them agreed, wanting to reminisce with Kakashi. Over dinner, he told them that he had found out about the news, and congratulated each of them.

"So how have you and Kiyomi been, Sensei?"

"Ehh, more or less the same, although it'd be easier if Norio would stop being so rebellious. I didn't remember that thirteen year olds were this bad."

Smirking, Sasuke responded. "Well, if I'm still lined up to be his Sensei, he won't be."

Kakashi laughed. "I guess that's true. If anyone can lay down the law, it'd be you."

Sakura turned to him. "It's ironic that a kid with a name that means 'lawful man' would need that, am I right?"

Rolling his eyes, Kakashi looked down at the countertop. "Believe me, this rebellious behavior isn't even the start of it. He's gotten into the habit of swearing up and down, and no amount of punishments work- not even washing his mouth out with soap. I've tried grounding him, but I'm at my wit's end here."

Sasuke groaned. "Oh great, something more to look forward to. And I've got to deal with it, twice."

"As a sensei, you'll probably have to deal with bratty teenagers every day- at least, based on my own experience."

Naruto scowled. "Hey, we weren't that bad! And my Dad told me that you were probably the teenager with the biggest attitude in the Leaf during your day!"

Laughing sheepishly, Kakashi rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, you've got me there. I was pretty awful, and though the three of you could be a handful at times, you were a great bunch. I don't think I ever really told you this when you were genin, but I'm proud of you- all of you- and I'm so happy that you're all doing so well in life."

"Well, don't you sound like a regular old-timer," Sakura joked. They laughed before Kakashi spoke again.

"Who was chosen to be the surrogate?"

"Tenten." Sakura frowned in slight disappointment. She had kind of wanted to be the surrogate- she had always thought that pregnancy was beautiful- but she was happy that her friend was going to experience this, and that she would be able to support Tenten. At least she was spared the pain of labor and the awfulness of having stretch marks, right?

Kakashi nodded to himself. "Ahhh, I see. Well, I'm sure Gai is absolutely beside himself with pride at her 'youthfulness', or whatever he's always on about. Is the Hyuga boy part of this as well?"

Sasuke huffed. "Unfortunately, yes. But it looks like there's trouble in paradise for him and Tenten."

"Cut them some slack, Sasuke! They're going through a lot right now, and you're not making it any easier!" Sakura slapped his arm. "Besides, neither of them knows how to tell the other their feelings, and at times, I think Shino has better social skills than either of them."

Naruto looked up from his ramen. "I don't get why everyone makes a big deal out of these things! Just say what you feel and be done with it, geez."

Kakashi chuckled. "I wish everyone thought the way you do, Naruto, but unfortunately human nature is naturally more complicated than that."

The three of them sat in silence, quietly enjoying each other's company. Sasuke pulled out his phone, and stood. "I need to get going- it's going to be Katsuro's bedtime in an hour."

Sakura also got up. "Yeah, I should probably turn in soon- my shift starts at three in the morning."

Kakashi followed suit. "I have a wife and a bratty teenager to go home to, lucky me."

"I guess since you're all leaving, I might as well go home, too." Naruto stood up, stretching.

As Sasuke pulled out some money from his wallet, Kakashi stopped him. "It's on me- this was congratulatory dinner for the three of you on your new little one. I wish you three the best of luck in this!"

Naruto pumped his fist in the air. "Alright Kakashi Sensei, way to deliver!"

Laughing, Kakashi waved it off. "It really is no big deal- I just thought I'd let you three know how proud I am of you. Anyways, goodnight!"

Sasuke, Sakura, and Naruto bid one another goodnight, and headed their separate ways.

* * *

Shigeru, Kanako, and Haruna were all running wildly around the playground playing ninja as their parents sat on a nearby bench. Shigeru and Kanako started arguing about who was their squad's captain, before Kanako completely took control by saying it was her birthright to be the leader. With no excuses, Shigeru reluctantly accepted, and the three of them continued playing happily.

"Well, fancy seeing the three of you here," said a gruff voice, followed by the fume of a cigarette. Turning, Ino, Shikamaru, and Choji saw Asuma and Kurenai linked together by the arms, and they smiled at their former Sensei. "Don't you have anything to say for yourselves? Surely you didn't think your old sensei doesn't know about the news- the entire village can hear the pitter patter of little feet."

"Asuma, knock it off!" Kurenai slapped him jokingly on the chest. Turning to Ino, Shikamaru, and Choji, she smiled. "Congratulations, you three, I'm really happy for you."

"Thank you, Asuma Sensei, Kurenai Sensei," Ino said, bowing her head slightly.

"Uncle Asuma!" three little voices hollered as Kanako, Haruna, and Shigeru latched themselves onto his legs. The three of them had always been close to Asuma, and Kurenai to an extent. He was always a positive presence in each of their lives, and had sometimes become a babysitter when their parents had missions. Asuma spoiled them, played with them, and told them embarrassing stories that made their parents hide in shame. Overall, they loved him as if he really was their uncle, and at times would compete for his attention.

"Uncle Asuma, you have to let me ride on your back, cause I'm the prettiest and the smartest," Kanako demanded.

"Nuh-uh! Haruna's prettier and nicer than you, and I'm definitely the smartest one!" Shigeru said, pulling on her ponytail.

"May I please ride on your back, cause I said please?" Haruna asked with puppy eyes.

"That's enough, you three. You're almost as bad as your parents. Almost," Asuma said with a wink.

"Sometimes I think Kanako is more like Ino than I am," Shikamaru muttered.

"Well, I always was the most influential of our graduating class," Ino gloated, looking from Shikamaru to her sensei.

"Says who? I pretty much set the standard for where to eat in this town- and now everyone goes to the Korean barbeque restaurant that I introduced you all to!" Choji puffed his chest out.

"The three of you really are worse than your kids! Have you guys seriously not grown up yet?"

"We have, but I guess old habits die hard, you know?" Shikamaru said.

"Yes, he knows, since I've been telling him to quit smoking for ten years and he still has yet to kick the habit." Kurenai looked at her husband pointedly. Asuma grinned sheepishly. She looked back to the Ino-Shika-Cho trio and continued talking. "Moving on, have they chosen a surrogate, yet?"

Ino bit her lip. "Yes, Tenten was chosen to do it, but I'm worried that she won't be ready for this kind of commitment. I'm happy that she gets to be a mother, I really am, but I just feel like this was all unfairly thrown at her."

"I told you to stop worrying about her, Ino. Tenten's strong enough to handle this," Shikamaru said, remembering the mission he'd had with the latter. "I actually think that between the new parents, she might be the most prepared one. Yeah, Sakura's a doctor and all, but she's too excitable, and Tenten's one of the most reasonable of us ten."

"Shikamaru has a point. If anything, she's probably just as prepared as you were with Shigeru, Ino," Asuma leveled his former student with a stern glance.

"I know, it's just, I can't help but feel concerned about her. She doesn't really have any experience with kids, and I'm nervous that this is all going to wear down on her," Ino mumbled.

"Then instead of being nervous, focus your energy on helping her get through this as smoothly as possible," Kurenai consoled, receiving a surprised look from Ino. "You and I both know how much expecting mothers go through, and while Tenten's family will more than likely be there to help her, your assistance might be even more important. Tenten isn't fragile, but this can't be easy on her, so do what you can to help her get through this. The fact that you show you care about her will be more than enough to make this a little easier on all of you."

Ino smiled. "Thank you, sensei."

Shikamaru looked at his watch. "Alright, I have to take missy here home, since her bedtime's coming up." He pried Kanako from Asuma's leg.

"Daddy, do I really have to have a bedtime? I mean, they're really old-fashioned, and only babies and old people need their sleep anyways, so you're the one who really needs a bedtime cause you're so old and all." She attempted to sway her father with what she considered reason, but it only seemed to make him annoyed. Everyone else was laughing, which was good, right?

"What a drag- I'm not even thirty and my daughter calls me old."

Choji laughed, and called Haruna over to his side. "Well, we need to head home too. Say goodnight, Haruna."

"Goodnight Uncle Shikamaru, Auntie Ino, Uncle Asuma, Aunt Kurenai, Shigeru, and Kanako!" she finished breathlessly. She ran over to her father, who lifted her onto his shoulders, bidding everyone goodnight and walking home.

"So do I still have to have a bedtime, or what?" Kanako asked, putting her hands on her hips expectantly.

"Yes," Shikamaru took her hand and waved goodbye to everyone.

Kanako gasped in surprise. How could her infallible logic not have worked?! "But why?!"

"Because you're still a baby and your mean old Daddy says so."

Laughing at his former student's predicament, Asuma turned to Ino. "I suppose you're taking this one home too now?"

"Yeah, I guess so. It was nice to catch up with you two- I'll keep you updated with the baby. Come on Shigeru!"

Shigeru ran over to his Mama, waving goodbye to Asuma and Kurenai, who waved back at him.

Asuma put his arm over Kurenai's shoulder, smiling fondly at the thought of his students and their kids. Turning to his wife, he chuckled.

"What's so funny?" she asked.

"I can't wait until they're teenagers."

* * *

Neji walked into his apartment, exhausted from everything that had happened that day. Why did he have to be the one going through all of this?! Furthermore, what had he done to make Tenten so upset? She couldn't blame hormones yet- at least, not for a month or so. Did she really believe that what she said was true- he didn't think that he had actually done anything belittling or demeaning to her, but maybe he just didn't notice it?

Neji shifted to lay down on his sofa, checking to see if he had any messages or missed calls from Tenten. His screen lit up, the notifications bar blank. He placed his smartphone back on the coffee table, placing his forearm over his eyes and breathing slowly.

His cat came in, jumping onto his stomach and settling down on him. Neji reached up to rub Snow behind her ears, and the little ragdoll kitty purred loudly as she leaned into his hand. It was relaxing for a while, until Snow decided to claw at his chest in a display of affection and Neji threw her off.

Suddenly his phone lit up, vibrating and ringing loudly. Looking at the caller I.d., he saw his cousin's number. Neji answered his cell phone wearily. "Hello?"

"Hi Neji! I was wondering if maybe you wanted to come over for dessert?"

Neji paused. Did he want to go over to have dessert, or was he about to accept the invitation to distract himself? Either way, he made up his mind. "Yes, that would be nice. Thank you for inviting me. I'll be there in a bit."

He slid the bar on his touchscreen, ending the call. After ensuring that Snow would be alright for a few hours, he left and walked over to Hinata's house.

When he arrived, the back gate was open, and he slipped into the backyard. He saw Hinata serving a small cake, with fresh fruit and powdered sugar sprinkled over the top. She smiled, and offered him a seat next to her.

Taking his seat, Neji spoke. "I hope you don't mind, but I saw that the gate was open, and invited myself in."

"Not at all! You know you're welcome here anytime!" Hinata served him a small slice. "How did everything go today?"

Stiffening, Neji swallowed the piece of cake he had in his mouth. "It went well, I suppose. Most likely all that happened was fairly normal for an IVF."

Hinata smiled. "Oh. I see. How is Tenten doing?"

Trying not to clench his jaw in anger, Neji shrugged. "She's fine from what I know."

Seeing through his ruse, Hinata went straight into finding out what happened. "So you two are still fighting."

Neji's shoulders tensed. Damn! Hinata had alway been able to see past his façade. There was no point in lying to her, and he met her eyes. She was disappointed, yes, but mostly concerned about him. Hinata had always known that he had feelings for Tenten, but she had also known why they could never be together. On her eighteenth birthday, she swore that when she became the head of the clan, she would change the law so that he could be happy and marry Tenten.

Neji felt guilty because of that, and told her everything. "Yes. I tried to apologize to her about yesterday, but she seemed to not accept it. Then Lady Tsunade asked for someone to help with the injections, so I agreed, and Tenten seemed to get angrier at this. She started shouting that I always talked down to her, and that I didn't respect her like I used to. I just don't understand anything she told me. Do I really act like that, Hinata?"

She paused for a moment, "You can come off as being high and mighty once in a while, especially when you're the person who's in a leadership role."

Neji sighed, placing his head in his hands. "Great. So now that I've made a total ass of myself, how can I convince her that I really am sorry?"

Hinata's face was serene, and she placed her hand on his shoulder to try to comfort him. She knew of his insecurity with his former teammate, and she had always been there to give him the best advice she could. "Just call her and tell her that you didn't mean to make her feel that way, and that you would really like to earn her friendship and trust back. I'm sure she'll come around after that."

When he responded, Neji's tone was low and depressed. "And what if she ignores my calls?"He was desperate, he knew that, but Tenten mattered a lot to him- more so than the clan, the village, and his rank as a ninja. He would give up all of that for her, and it felt as though he would never be able to convey that to her.

Hinata responded."Leave a message. She'll listen to what you have to say, and she'll call you back when she's ready. "

Smiling at his younger cousin, Neji stood. He thanked her for the cake and left, going to follow her advice.

Sitting on his sofa, he dialed Tenten's number, waiting anxiously as the phone rang. He heard the recording for her voicemail, and tried to gather his thoughts. After the beep, he spoke. "Hey Tenten, I just thought I would call you to apologize for how I've been acting. I realize that I may have come off the wrong way earlier, and I didn't want to make you feel the way I did. I understand if you're still angry, because you probably don't deserve a friend like me. If you're willing to accept it, I want to ask for your friendship and trust again, and I just really want to work this out. Please call me back soon... Goodnight, and sleep well."

Tenten played the message and cried after hearing it the first time. After replaying it twice more, she decided to call him back. As soon as he answered, she took control of the conversation: "Meet me at the target range tomorrow at noon." With that brief message, she hung up. Lying in bed, she hoped he meant what he said, and she was glad that her babysitting plans with Sasuke and Ino had been cancelled.

* * *

Itachi stood behind the taped off area, looking at the damage done to the two bodies of the deceased ANBU. The burn marks had aroused concern with the medical examiner, who had called him in to take a closer look. Most of the man's chest had been burned off completely with only the spinal cord linking the torso to the lower body. But the grotesque and awful sight wasn't what caught his attention.

As he looked over the burn marks with his Sharingan, Itachi could see the trademark remains of black flames. Itachi didn't know who had used Amaterasu on these men, but it wasn't any Uchiha within the village- only he and Sasuke had been able to use it, and they had been the first since Madara Uchiha to unlock the hidden jutsu. Perplexed, he set aside his observations and moved on, a bad feeling settling into him.

As he continued with his examination of the corpse, Itachi saw a small senbon stuck deeply into the man's arm, and a small amount of chakra was on the other end. Plucking it out of the ANBU's arm, he places it in the small plastic bag to take back for forensic chakra testing. Seeing that there was nothing else he could draw from the corpses, he pulled the plastic covers over them, and walked over to where his father was.

Fugaku turned to his son. "Well, what did you get?"

Itachi held up the plastic bag with the senbon. "This had a faint trace of chakra on it. It's definitely an Uchiha, but it wasn't one that I recognized."

Nodding, Fugaku examined the evidence through the bag. "I'll pull up the compiled list of rogue Uchiha, and see if someone matches up with the chakra. Was there anything else?"

Itachi's frown deepened. "Yes. The burn marks on those men came from Amaterasu."

Fugaku's eyebrows raised. "Are you absolutely sure?"

Itachi nodded. "We should probably try to wrap this up- the Hokage will want a full report as soon as possible."

Mimicking his son, Fugaku nodded, and handed Yashiro the bag with the senbon. "Take this to the lab for forensics- and I want a list of all the rogues from our clan."

Itachi added on, "Pull up the files on Madara."

Yashiro nodded, bowing his head and moving to fulfill his orders. Itachi and Fugaku looked at each other

"Itachi, I know you wouldn't make anything up, but are you aware of the consequences of your allegations?"

"Yes, Father, I am," he said, taking off his gloves and stepping out of the crime scene. He was unsure of what was happening, or who was behind this, but he would find out soon, and he would make sure that they would be eliminated.

* * *

Author's Note: i don't know if I should up the rating for this, since I was talking about sperm and all ^.^' Haha, and if someone wouldn't mind telling me whether or not the way I'm developing the conflict is corny, I would love you forever!

Also, updates will probably be infrequent, with college coming up and work too. But I refuse to abandon this story!

Thank you for your support. Ja ne! :) 3


	3. Chapter 3: Son of Man

Chapter 3: Son of Man

Hey everyone! Sorry for not updating sooner, there was a lot of crap going on in life, so I just kind of put this story on the back burner.

This chapter will be full of surprises, and I will neither confirm or deny if they involve NejiTen- you'll have to read to find out ;p

Thank you for all of your reviews, follows, and favorites- they mean so much :D

Also, be warned that there are massive time skips- as in weeks and moths- in this chapter' the only reason for this is because I'm really lazy.

Enjoy mes petites :3

* * *

Neji walked slowly underneath the Sakura trees as he headed to meet Tenten as planned. He knew he shouldn't be nervous, but he couldn't shake his sudden feeling of unease as he neared his destination. Only now did he realize how stupid he had been at the meeting, and he regretted all of the shit he'd told her last night. While he knew that she would almost definitely forgive him, he also knew that Tenten would never truly forget the arguments that they had recently.

Attempting to take his mind off of Tenten, Neji thought about the new baby. He had never been particularly paternal- it took him three months to hold Hideaki closer than arms length- but he had always wanted to start a family of his own. He enjoyed the moments he had with his godson, such as drinking tea while watching the sunset, and helping the young boy learn how to hold a kunai properly (but Hinata didn't know about the latter whatsoever.) Neji contemplated what it would be like to see this child take his first steps, or speak his first words.

Neji also admitted to himself that he secretly wished for a son rather than a daughter. It wasn't because he was misogynistic- it was due to the fact that he felt that he could relate to another male more so than to a female. While he thought that the little girls born to his clan were adorable, he also saw what happened to them when they grew up. His best example was Hanabi; she had been a sweet child, but when she became a teenage girl... Neji repressed a shudder. He silently made up his mind that a boy would be more suitable.

As he turned onto the small path that led to his and Tenten's meeting spot, he admired the yellow and red leaves falling from the trees around him. He listened as they crunched under his step, and relished in the scent of autumn. It was hard to describe, but Neji felt that autumn in Konoha had its own unique scent. It was something akin to an oak tree, but with the smell of rain being added to the mix. In his mind, the aroma mixed with the slight chill of the air made autumn his favorite season.

He saw Tenten under the large Sakura tree near the lake. Neji stared as he observed her placing her long curly hair into a bun. She was unaware of his presence as he watched her intently. Her dainty wrists flicked as she twisted her hair up, wrapping it around itself before securing it with a hair tie and several pins. Her large grey eyes looked up at him, and she gave him a half hearted smile as he approached her.

"Hey," she murmured as he sat down next to her.

"Hey."

They both paused for a few moments, thinking over what to say to the other and how to say it. Finally, Tenten broke the ice.

"I'm really sorry for snapping at you yesterday, I guess I was just overreacting." Neji stared at her for a while, and then he placed his hand on her shoulder and began to massage it.

"I'm sorry, too. I didn't realize that I made you- or anyone else- feel like that. I have never had the intent to talk down to you, Tenten, and at the meeting the other day, I didn't mean to disrespect your decision. In fact, I'm really happy that both of us are in this together. And," he leaned into her ear, "I'm really happy you're the mother of my child."

Tenten didn't respond immediately, waiting to see if Naruto had tried to pull a practical joke on her. Placing her hand on Neji's she looked up at him. Though it had been really unsettling and kind of creepy at first, his Byakugan had become somewhat tranquil to her over the years. The very subtle lavender tinge was curious to look at, and she would lose track of her thoughts as she stared into them. She wasn't some lovesick fan girl, so it would mostly move onto things like imagining the village covered in snow, or how she wanted to take a vacation to the beach. It would generally take her awhile to snap out of it, but before she could get too lost in her own inner vacations, Neji spoke.

"I have wanted to say this for a long time, but I've been a coward," he spoke lowly. "For a while now, I've had strong feelings for you, and I believe that they have manifested as much as humanly possible. I love you back."

Disbelief. That was all she could feel, as it was one of those 'pinch me! I must be dreaming!' moments. She was so happy, she could tell her cheeks stretched into a wide, goofy grin, her face was probably red, and fat tears were now rolling down her face shamelessly. Tenten acted without thinking, and pulled Neji's face down into a kiss. She tasted the odd combination of coffee and toothpaste, but it was wonderful because they were kissing and she knew he loved her back! She pulled away, and he followed her lead. "How long have you known I loved you?"

He sighed. "I don't remember, maybe after I had just become a jonin? But I tried to shove it aside, because I knew my clan would never let us marry."

Tenten set her head on his shoulder. She felt his arm wrap around her comfortingly, and she could smell his cologne that reminded her of the seaside. Now that she thought of it, the scent was oddly similar to the cologne she had bought him for his birthday a few months prior. In fact, she was almost positive it was the one she had bought him. Closing her eyes and sighing, she asked a question she didn't know if she wanted an answer to. "They still won't, so what are we going to do about it?"

She heard a low growl in his chest, and knew it was one of disdain for the clan elders. "I'm going to tell them that I do not wish to marry at any point, and justify this with the new child."

Tenten looked up at him and smiled widely. "Does this mean we're in a relationship now?"

With a soft smile of his own, Neji nodded. He also remembered what he had to do, and looked down at Tenten seriously. "We still have to figure out when I'm supposed to give you your progesterone every day."

She hummed in annoyance and thought. "At nine."

Raising an eyebrow, Neji asked what could be a dangerous question. "In the morning?"

Laughing, Tenten reached up to stroke his hair. "At night. You can stay at my place sometimes, and other times, I can stay at yours. Deal?"

With a laugh, he nodded and lightly kissed her hairline. "Deal."

* * *

News of their relationship spread more quickly than the pair had hoped. It began circulating with Ino, seeing as how they ran into her and Shigeru before they had even left the park. Of course, Ino had called Sakura in the middle of her shift while she was speaking to Shisui Uchiha. Shisui then told Itachi, who spread the news to Sasuke. Naruto had been with Sasuke when this happened, and ran over to tell Shikamaru and Choji. The latter ran into Shino and Kiba while they were taking a walk with Akamaru and his new litter. Hinata had heard the conversation from afar, and by the time Neji and Tenten had dropped by for lunch, the entire village already knew.

To say the two were shocked would be an understatement, but they took it well, and now they didn't have to explain their relationship to anyone.***

Two weeks had passed, and Neji and Tenten were in the family planning center of the hospital, Tenten in a hospital gown and Neji holding her hand. He could see how unsure she was, and rubbed circles into the back of her hand to try to help her relax. Seeing that it wasn't working, he sat behind her on the examining table and wrapped his arms around her waist. Tenten leaned her head against his shoulder, putting her hands over his and rubbing her thumbs over them.

Neji gently kissed her hairline, resting his head on top of hers. He was starting to become more affectionate with her, and had never been happier in his life. He was now able to be in a relationship with the woman he loved, and start a family with her, and he didn't even have to worry about what his clansmen thought of it. Hiashi had permitted him to opt out of an arranged marriage, and while his face was still as stern as always, he said that he was happy for them.

Neji had bought an engagement ring a few days before the appointment, and was holding onto it for when the moment was right. While their marriage wouldn't be seen as legitimate by his clan, the village would certainly recognize it. Tenten wouldn't be allowed to officially take his last name, nor would she be able to hyphenate it with her own, but it didn't matter to him- as long as they were able to be in a recognized and permanent relationship,he would be happy.

There was a knock on the door, and Tsunade walked in with a tray containing medical supplies. She smiled at the two of them. "It's about time you two hooked up. I was starting to think that you would both end up celibate for the rest of your lives!"

"Lady Tsunade! You can't just say that!" Shizune attempted to scold her mentor, and Tsunade brushed her off.

"I'll do whatever the hell I want to!" Shizune shook her head and face palmed. Tsunade saw this and laughed loudly, then turned to Neji. "I know you want to be supportive, but I'm going to need you to step out of the room for this procedure. It'll take a half hour, at most."

He nodded, sliding out from behind Tenten. She smiled up at him nervously, and he kissed the top of her hand, squeezing it tightly for a moment before stepping out. Tenten stared at the door for a moment, hearing Tsunade and Shizune setting things up. Shizune placed her hand on Tenten's shoulder. "We need you to move down on the examining table, ok?" Tenten nodded numbly, her nervousness making her fingertips cold and causing her movements to be shaky.

Tsunade sat on a chair at the end of the table, holding a needle with a long tube. Seeing Tenten's nervousness, she smiled gently and touched the young woman's knee. "Take a deep breath, it'll be fine. Would you like to listen to some music during the injection?" Tenten nodded, and soon, she heard classical music playing softly. Forcing herself to relax, she closed her eyes, gripping the edges of the table and taking in shaky breaths.

Tsunade spoke softly. "I'm going to insert a catheter, ok? Just take a deep breath and exhale very slowly." Seeing a nod, Tsunade placed the item into her patient.

Tenten nearly cried out when the catheter was inserted, but she exhaled sharply, which helped her cope with the pain. She could barely feel the tube being inserted into her, and when the eggs were placed, she barely noticed. The catheter was taken out, and she nearly screamed at how painful it had been.

"Alright, the injection is over. Would you like something for the pain?"

"Y-yes, please."

Shizune pulled out a small bottle, placing a pill into a cup and bringing Tenten a small water bottle. The latter accepted both gratefully, muttering a small word of thanks in return. Tsunade and Shizune stepped out of the room, telling Tenten that she could change back into her normal clothes. Tenten did as she was told, taking out her phone. She scrolled through her notifications, seeing many texts wishing her luck. She laughed aloud as she read Lee's message, wishing her a youthful appointment, and was slightly shocked to see that even Shino had wished her luck earlier that day. Listening to her voicemail, she heard her mom's message, and was again relieved to know her parents were supporting her. She heard a knock on the door, and Tsunade and Shizune walked in, with Neji behind them.

He walked over to her side, placing his arm around her shoulders. "How did it go?" He rubbed her shoulder gently, frowning as she shrugged. He placed his chin on the top of her head, knowing that she secretly had a fear of doctors. This had to have been stressful for her, and Tsunade and Shizune had let him know that she would be out of it due to the sedatives.

Tsunade cleared her throat slightly, catching their attention. "I want you to take it easy, Tenten. In three weeks time, you should be able to take a pregnancy test and have pretty clear results. Call me after you've done so."

Tenten's eyebrows furrowed. "Three weeks? Doesn't it only take two?"

"It only takes two weeks to show, but you're going to be hearing more and more from the clans these days, so I want you to take this slowly; I don't want you to try to rush yourself or become too stressed, ok?"

Tenten nodded, sliding off of the table and reaching out to shake Tsunade's hand. The latter laughed. "No need to be so formal! Who do you take me for, Fugaku Uchiha?!" She hugged Tenten, lowering her voice so that only they could hear. "You can call me if you need anything at all, even if it isn't something medical. I have faith in you." They pulled apart, and Tsunade hugged Neji as well, jokingly telling him that he had better take good care of Tenten 'or else.' Laughing, the new couple left the hospital to go to dinner with their peers as had been planned.

The pair arrived at the restaurant, finding that everyone else had already arrived. Naruto made a suggestive joke, and was promptly smacked upside the head courtesy of Sakura. Neji and Tenten slid into the booth, and everyone became quiet until Lee arrived.

"So how is the little bundle of youth?!"

Tenten shook her head, laughing slightly. "We can't say anything is for certain until three weeks from now."

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow. "I thought it only took two weeks to show up positive on a pregnancy test."

Tenten faltered, and Neji covered it up quickly. "Lady Tsunade thinks it advisable that we wait three weeks, since there is so much anticipation and all."

Nobody thought to question this logic, all of them remembering how their families had reacted. A waitress came by, and seemingly everyone started to order some form of alcohol to drink. Tenten tried not to show it, but she was disappointed. Taking note of this, Neji chose to order water instead, in his own subtle form of support. Tenten smiled at him, and they raised their glass at the toast.

Sakura was the first to offer them assistance. "If you guys ever need anything, you know you can always call me. I can help you with whatever, since I'm a doctor, you know, and-"

"Thank you, Sakura, but at this point I don't think I need to do anything except for making sure to rest," Tenten replied politely.

Ino perked up as she suddenly remembered something. "Tenten, my parents wanted me to invite you to this event we have coming up. It's a celebration of the clans founding, and I think it'll help with the clan getting to know you and vice versa."

Tenten became slightly nervous. Is this what Tsunade had meant when she mentioned dealing with the clans more often? Still, it was kind of exciting being invited to a clan event. Sure, she had been to several Hyuga celebrations, but the Hyuga were so uptight, and they always seemed to give her dirty looks. Maybe the Yamanaka clan would be different? "Umm, when is it?"

"This Saturday at five, at my parents house. I can pick you up and take you, if you want?"

Tenten smiled. "Yeah. That sounds great. Is it formal or informal?"

"It'll be in the gardens, so semi formal I guess."

"Sounds good."

The two of them joined the larger conversation, something about Naruto using his 'sexy Jutsu' on Iruka Sensei for the first time. Everyone started telling awkward childhood stories, except for Sasuke, Shino, and Neji- all three of them swore that they had never done anything awkward. It was a relief for them to be so carefree, and especially for Sasuke.

The Uchiha had joined ANBU seven years ago, and quickly rose among the ranks to being one of the highest ranking captains. After joining, he had become highly paranoid, and while he was excellent at hiding it, it was still noticed by his friends. Everyone was concerned for him, and Naruto continuously worried that the pressure would be too much for Sasuke and cause the latter to mentally breakdown. Even when Katsuro was born, Sasuke still took on many missions, justifying it by saying that he needed more money now that he had a child to care for. It was a poor excuse, and they all knew it, but Sasuke was too headstrong to listen to anyone else.

The meat had finished cooking, and they all ate heartily. Choji was kind enough to give Tenten extra, saying that she needed to store up energy for when the baby came. Ino began telling stories of her pregnancy, and Shikamaru had claimed that she and his wife drove him insane with their back-to-back pregnancies. Many baby stories were passed around, like when Haruna had her first solid meal, or Sayuri learning to read, to times such as when Kanako had learned to say 'no' and Shigeru had helped to plant a seed for the first time. Everyone turned to Sasuke expectantly, and he lit a cigarette and took a long drag before he spoke.

"I wasn't always there during Katsuro's childhood, but I remember when he first said 'Vati.' I just remember how happy he was, and I want him to be that happy again."

It grew quiet for a moment, with Naruto breaking it up. "I don't care what the rest of you say, I'm going to be the one to give this baby the first bowl of ramen!" The ensuing laughter lightened the atmosphere, and after half an hour, they all returned to their homes.

Neji and Tenten held hands as they walked back to his apartment. Most of the shops in the village were closing at the moment, and it was overall peaceful. Neji unlocked the door and released the security seal, and they entered to find that Snow had made herself comfortable in Neji's laundry. Neji told Tenten that he was going to take a shower, and she went to his bedroom to lay in bed.

Neji had an interesting bedroom. Most of the walls were white with the exception of a jade green accent wall, one Hinata had probably arranged for. The dresser was a simple build with dark oak, and it coordinated with the bed frame, desk, and nightstand. There were very few decorations, the only exceptions being a few pictures lined up on a bookshelf.

There was a picture of Team Gai, and she remembered that day proudly. While she, Lee, and Gai Sensei had smiled as brightly as they possibly could, Neji only smirked slightly. Even though he was seen as harsh and uncaring around other people, Neji was actually very caring about his team mates. He looked out for them constantly, whether or not they were on missions. When Lee had to have surgery, it was Neji who had stayed in the waiting room, and spent the night with his closest friend the night afterwards. When her grandmother had died, it was Neji who had held her as she sobbed,and it was he who would comfort her even now when she would become upset over it. Neji had always been reliable and comforting to his teammates, and she knew that he always would be that way.

Next to that picture was one of Neji standing with the main family. He had become extremely close to them, almost as if he was their son. It was five years since the photo had been taken, with Neji standing next to Hiashi in the back. They all looked happy, even though the only people smiling were the women. Mrs. Hyuga stood on the other side of Hiashi, with her indigo hair falling gracefully over her shoulder. Tenten had never really talked to her, but from what Neji and Hinata had said, she was a very kind and caring woman. Hinata most definitely took after her mother, in looks and demeanor, while Hanabi was unlike anyone in the Hyuga clan. Hanabi stood with a hand on her hip, looking mischievously at the camera. She wore a low cut tank top, and skin tight jeans, both of which had probably caused Hiashi to have a heart attack. And in the front and center was Hinata, with a serene smile on her face. The photo was beautiful, as was the frame, and Tenten was happy that at last Neji had made peace with the main family.

The last photo on the shelf was of Neji, Hanabi, and Hideaki. They were all wearing beige, traditional clothing, and Hideaki was being held by Neji as an infant. From what she could make of it, Tenten assumed that this was from the ceremony when Neji and Hanabi were officially named as Hideaki's godparents. As she looked closer, she could see the crest of the main branch was subtly embroidered onto the blanket Hideaki was wrapped in. What most resonated with Tenten was the affection that showed on Neji's face as he held the baby boy. Was this what it would look like the first time he held their baby? If so, she couldn't wait to see it!

Finally taking her eyes off of the pictures, Tenten settled down onto the bed, snuggling deeply in the soft cotton. As her breathing evened out, she began to drift off, with Neji's scent filling her nose. He had always smelled kind of like a pine tree, but with a fragrance that was unique to him. Tenten fell asleep quickly, not noticing when Neji came into the room. As he looked at her, he smiled at how she sprawled out across the mattress, positioned as if she was free falling. He slid into bed next to her, wrapping his arms around her and enjoying the serenity of the moment. It wasn't all too long before he found himself asleep as well, and the couple stayed snuggled together until morning.

* * *

Saturday morning came too quickly for Tenten, and she was currently at her parent's house attempting to find a suitable outfit to wear to the Yamanaka's celebration. She had narrowed it down to a sleeveless white sundress with lace, a soft pink high-low dress that showed off her legs, and a flowing flower-print blouse with a skirt. Groaning, she collapsed onto her bed, hearing the doorbell ring. That couldn't be Ino yet, could it?! She heard her mother answer the door, and Ino's loud voice followed. Shit! What to wear, what to wear?!

"Knock knock!" Ino said, flouncing into the room. She took in the sight before her- Tenten laying on the bed in distress with outfits spread out around her. A gleam of excitement filled the blond's eyes. "Oh, are you deciding what to wear?! Can I help?!"

"Please do," Tenten groaned, catching Ino scrutinizing the pink high-low dress out of the corner of her eye. Ino lifted the dress to see its full length, and she laughed a little.

"I forget how short you are sometimes! And how tiny your waist is! This is what you should wear." After she said that, she looked over at Tenten. "I'm half an hour early, and it isn't far to my parents house, so... Can I do your hair and makeup, too?!"

Tenten sat up. "Yeah, I guess if you insist."

Ino squealed in pure delight. "Ok, get dressed, and we can get started!"

Nodding, Tenten did as told, putting on her tallest wedges. She looked at herself in the mirror. Not half bad, maybe I could wear this on a date with Neji? She pondered that for a moment, and thought about how nice it would be to be somewhat closer to his massive height.

Ino burst into the room, smiling at Tenten's appearance. "You look amazing! Now sit down, I want to finally see your hair down!"

"Uhm, ok." Sitting in front of her vanity, she could feel Ino taking out her buns, and feeling her hair. It was pretty curly, but with the length it was, and the heat of the village, it had somewhat straightened out. She could feel the ends touching her lower back and her hips.

Ino was slightly jealous, to say the least. She had always envied curly hair, but was afraid of the damage that getting a perm would cause. Now here was Tenten, the only one of her peers to have curly hair, tying them up into buns and never letting the public see how gorgeous her hair was. "Your hair is so beautiful! Why would you put it into buns when you're possibly the only person in the village to have curly hair?!"

Laughing nervously, Tenten replied. "It's just a lot of work to do anything else with it, and it keeps it out of the way, so I guess it's just kind of out of habit. That, and I've always wanted straight hair, so I hate it when people see how curly it really is." Ino smacked her upside the head with the back of the brush. "Ow, what the hell was that for?!"

"Do you even know how jealous I am of you right now?! I've always wanted curly hair, and you're just over here saying how much you hate it! And it's so long and soft, too. Has Neji seen your hair down?"

Tenten shook her head. "No one outside of my family and the occasional hairdresser has. And now you've joined the group. Congratulations!" The last part was said with sarcasm practically dripping from Tenten's words.

Ino raised the brush threateningly. "Don't make me use this-I will hit you again! But seriously Tenten, you have such beautiful hair, you should let everyone see it. At least let Neji see, the guy is so crazy about you, it's unreal."

Tenten looked down shyly. Now she was aware of his affections from the past few weeks, but she wasn't sure that they were that deep. "You... Think he likes me that much?"

"Duh! He's always staring at you, and you're like the only non-Hyuga girl he talks to, so it's pretty obvious he likes you."

"I just guess I never realized that before last week..."

Ino rolled her eyes. "You two are so clueless! But... I'm happy you guys can be together. I heard that the Hyuga clan approved his appeal to get out of arranged marriage."

"Yeah. Hey Ino?"

"Hmmm?"

"I'm really sorry about your ex. If you ever need to talk, I'm always here for you, and if you need someone to watch Shigeru, I'm up for it."

Ino smiled sadly. "Thanks, Tenten. I'd really like someone to talk to. And with the babysitting, you're about to see how crazy the rest of my clan is about spoiling my son. I swear they only do it to irritate the shit out of me!"

Tenten laughed. "Well, I guess for them it's important to see that the future head of the clan is well looked-after, you know."

"Yes, but I'm worried that Shigeru won't have any independence, and I know for a fact that some of my clansmen are dirty little fucks, so I guess I'm concerned about him getting screwed over."

"That seems pretty rough, but at least with a clan you have more people to rely on. I've only had my parents, since after my grandmother died my aunts and uncles just kind of walked out on us. It's kind of infuriating that they're trying to come back into our lives now, and I just don't want them in my life anymore, you know?"

Ino placed her hands on Tenten's shoulders. "I know exactly what you mean. And I'm done with your hair, what do you think?"

Tenten looked, and saw that her hair had been pulled back, with all of the curls coming together in the back. Ino had pinned her hair with a hair clips covered in crystals. Some of the curls cascaded over her shoulders, and overall, it was beautiful. She turned to Ino. "How did you do this?! It's never looked so nice before! Thank you so much!"

Ino laughed. "All I really did was pull it back and put clips in, and your hair is so naturally beautiful that it did the rest for me! Don't thank me yet, we still have your makeup to do."

Tenten's chair was turned so that she was facing Ino, and her back was to the mirror. Ino instructed her to close her eyes, and she did. It was so odd to feel the brushes slightly poking her eyelid and waterline, and when Ino applied the mascara, she couldn't help but compulsively blink. The lipstick was a little less awkward, and in five minutes, Ino was completely finished.

Smiling at her work, Ino turned Tenten's chair around to face the mirror. The latter gasped in surprise. Was this what prom night felt like?! Tenten had never really bothered to do her hair or makeup before, seeing it as a waste of time, but she might seriously consider it from now on. Ino spoke. "I know you're thinking that this probably would take a ridiculous amount of time, but it really won't. Your skin is flawless, and your cheeks are naturally a little rosy, so all I did was put eye makeup and some lipstick on. You're really beautiful, Tenten, you should know that by now."

Tenten blushed. The only people that had really praised her looks were her family, and she had always brushed it off as them being naturally biased. It was a nice surprise to have someone as beautiful, classy, and elegant as Ino tell her she was beautiful. But before she could really relish in the praise, her self consciousness took over. "Thanks, but it's only because of your makeover that I am."

Ino scoffed. "As if! Now come on, we have an event to get to!" She grabbed Tenten's wrist and dragged her out the door.

As they were walking, Tenten felt slightly nervous. "So Ino, how does the rest of your clan feel about non-clan people...?"

Ino laughed. "Don't tell me you're nervous about that! I mean, how many Hyuga events have you been to before this?! Surely they're awful about that!"

"That's why I'm nervous! I don't want to cause you any trouble, you know, by you being associated with me as the head of the clan and all..."

Ino turned, stopping Tenten in her tracks. "Don't get yourself down before we get there, ok? I'll admit, some of them are major jerks about it, but they're not necessarily too high ranking in the clan. And besides, I've taken Sakura to hundreds of these, so they're all kind of used to at least one person outside of the clan being there. You'll be fine, and if anyone gives you shit about, just tell me and I'll take care of it!"

Tenten smiled. "Thanks, Ino, for everything."

Ino gave her a dazzling smile. "No problem! That's what friends are for, right?!"

"Right."

A few minutes later, and the two of them had arrived to the party. Ino didn't bother knocking on the door and just strut right in, and Tenten, not knowing what else to do, followed. Ino led her out to a garden, and Tenten recalled seeing pictures of Versailles. Though it wasn't large enough to get lost in, the garden was certainly as ornate and lovely as the French palace's. there was even a replica of the Apollo fountain, along with several statues of cherubs lining the hedges.

Ino smiled. "My grandmother was the one who originally started to create this garden. She had commissioned for the menagerie on the east end to be built, and just after she died, the Apollo fountain was finished. My mother started organizing the rest, all according to my grandmothers plans with some slight variations. What do you think of it?"

Tenten was still busy taking in the scenery. "It's absolutely gorgeous! How long did it take for this all to grow?"

Ino thought about it for a second. "Maybe three years? I'm not too sure, but the entire clan has a part in maintaining it, so it's not a heavy amount of work for my family and their gardeners."

Tenten nodded, graciously accepting the champagne the Ino handed her. The two of them made small talk for a while, with Ino explaining the French traditions that the Yamanaka had adopted the last five generations, when a little boy came running up to them.

"Mama! I missed you so much! Did you miss me too?! Why couldn't I go with you, and who's this lady?!"

Ino laughed, picking the child up. "Of course I missed you my darling, how could I not?!" She kissed his forehead, and he smiled and snuggled into her. "Shigeru, this is Tenten, she's the one who is doing us a huge favor and carrying your new baby brother or sister. Say hello."

Shigeru gave Tenten a scrutinizing look. He stuck out his hand, and when Tenten took hold of it, he kissed her knuckles. "How was that, Mama? Did I do it right?!"

Ino smiled. "You did it perfectly, baby."

Tenten smiled kindly at him. "My, you're quite the gentleman, Shigeru." He nodded enthusiastically.

"Mama says that all Yamanaka men have to be French gentlemen, cause its a tradition." He paused and gave Tenten a curious look. "Are you sure you're going to have a baby, cause you don't look like it."

"Shigeru! That was rude! Apologize to her, now!"

Tenten laughed. "It's fine, Ino, he didn't insult me at all." She turned to the little one. "It might take a little while for it to look like I'm having a baby, since it takes a long time for them to grow inside of their mothers. But when the baby is big enough to show, you'll be the first to know. Deal?"

Shigeru nodded determinedly. "Deal! Mama, can I go back to playing now?"

Ino set him down. "Try not to get too dirty, ok? Have fun, darling!" She turned to Tenten. "He hardly ever takes to people so well, great job! You know, I think you're one of those blessed women who is naturally good at motherhood."

"Thanks."

An elegant woman strode over to them, her brown hair pulled into a chignon. "Ino, darling, you're here! Is this your guest?"

Ino smiled tensely. "Hello mother. This is Tenten, she's the one who's carrying the baby."

Ino's mother smiled. "How wonderful, dear! Congratulations! We're honored to have you here tonight, since it's a really important Yamanaka celebration."

Tenten smiled. "Thank you for having me; it's an honor to be here, Madame."

Ino's mother nodded curtly and walked off to join some other women, all of them looked to be Yamanaka by blood. A few other people came up to talk to Ino and Tenten, and the majority of them were surprisingly friendly, if not a little snobby. This was a welcome change to the Hyuga, who would ignore Tenten seeing as how she wasn't of any importance, not belonging to a clan and all.

An hour into the party, everyone was seated at the tables, with Tenten sitting next to Ino and her family. Inoichi stood, and addressed the entire group.

"Today, we celebrate the greatest of events to our clan- the date of its founding. It is because of our ancestors that we have achieved a noble status within the village, and it is because of their traditions that the Yamanaka are known for our superiority. And it is today that we honor them.

It is no secret that our clan has been a vital asset to the village since the beginning. Our bloodline trait is unparalleled, even by the Uchiha and the Hyuga, and our contributions to the intelligence and information gathering is greater than that of any other clan.

But it is not only our assets as ninja that have made the village great. With the funds we have raised through the flower shop, we have donated seven million ryo to the children's hospice, and have provided over a thousand bouquets to the sick and injured in the hospital in the last year."

Heavy applause broke out, along with several chants of pride for the clan. Tenten clapped with them, genuinely surprised that the clan had donated so much to charity. She wondered how much the Hyuga donated, if they did at all.

Inoichi beamed at the praise his clan was giving. "Yes, we have done so much politically and militarily for the village, but we have also contributed much to the culture of the village.

Without us, there would be very little, if at any appreciation for botany, and especially for the French culture. It is because of us, because of our clan that Academy students now have the option to learn French at advanced levels, and we are seeing many more of those students reach fluency and become bilingual. These contributions are so vital in ridding the village of ignorance, and spreading the elegance of the French culture that enriches our lives and our village.

But aside from those significant parts of our clan giving to the village, we are now part of a revolutionary new endeavor to bring peace to the village, and end hostilities amongst the clans. As many of you know, we have agreed to assist in the upbringing of a child that is shared amongst all of the major clans in the village. Not only does this give us as a clan another beautiful child to call our own, but this shall give us a new hope in securing domestic peace within the village.

I would now like to propose a toast, to both the endurance of the Yamanaka, and to the new child." Everyone raised their glass, chanting in unison "To the clan and the child." Tenten raised her glass, saying the same thing under her breath.

Ino turned to her. "See, I told you it wouldn't be that bad! Everyone is actually really excited that you're here, seeing as how you're our guest of honor."

Tenten turned to her, perplexed. "I am?"

Ino nodded, and a platter containing sweetbread and foie gras was placed in the center of the table, along with a baguette that was still hot. "Of course you are! I mean, you're carrying a child that will have Yamanaka blood, so we feel it's only right to honor you for that. Did you think we were just going to take the child and leave you in the dust?!"

Tenten shook her head. "It's not that, I just wasn't expecting to be included in the clan as much as I was. It's a welcome surprise."

Ino smiled. "Good. So, have you ever tried foie gras before? I know you probably think it will be gross, but it's not as bad as people say it is!"

Tenten inwardly groaned. Other than being coerced into eating goose liver, the party was wonderful. She sighed quietly as she hesitantly took a bite out of the food. Now she remembered why rich people sucked!

* * *

The next three weeks passed by normally, and it was as if nothing had happened. The only major difference was the decrease in Hyuga-Uchiha sparring, and most of the village simply assumed that it was because of a new treaty or something of the like. The soon to be parents went about their lives as if nothing was out of the ordinary, which was why it was concerning when the Yamanaka heiress had filed for divorce. What was more concerning was that Tadashi had gone completely off of the radar.

Ino started at the clerk in the village's record keeping department. He shrank into himself slightly, fearing that the rumors about Madam Yamanaka were true. If her face said anything, she could go into a murderous rage at any second. But instead of meeting his demise, Ino simply turned and strut out of the room, thanking him curtly for his time.

Before she knew what had happened, she was on Sasuke's doorstep, knocking frantically at the door. When he answered he seemed to be beyond pissed off, and that was only furthered when Ino had invited herself in.

"What the hell is wrong with you?! Katsuro is taking a nap. Do you know how hard it is to put him down?"

"Tadashi has gone missing. There are no records of him since the night he left."

Shaking his head slightly, Sasuke responded. "Look, Ino, I know that what you're going through isn't easy, but I don't see how that has anything to do with me."

Ino placed her hands on his shoulders, looking into his eyes with a hint of desperation. "Sasuke, from what you told me, Satomi is also missing. The two of them suddenly disappearing in this kind of situation can't be a coincidence. I need your help to track him down, and I'll help you find Satomi, but the point I'm trying to make is that the two of them could become dangerous- for the new baby and for the children we have now. So please, just... Help me..."

Sighing, Sasuke put his hands over hers. He had always been kind of a sucker for tears, especially those from a woman. He took Ino into his arms, and held her for a moment. "Itachi is investigating Satomi's whereabouts, and I'll have him add Tadashi to the list. This will all be over in two weeks tops, so stop sniveling and let it go, ok?"

Ino nodded, pulling away from him. "Thank you, Sasuke, I needed that."

He nodded, and led her to the door. She turned to him before leaving, flashing him her dazzling white smile. "Also, since we're both single now, maybe we could-"

"I'm free Saturday evening. Meet me at the bar at eight. Have a nice day."

And with that, he pushed her out of the door, yet she smirked to herself. Who said she couldn't have Sasuke Uchiha? She had to go brag to Sakura, this was going to be great!

On her way to Sakura's house, she ran into Neji and Tenten. Deciding to have fun with them, she strode over. "We'll, if it isn't the lovebirds of the Leaf. What's going on with you two lately? I mean, you guys must be having some really amazing se-"

"The test was positive. Ino, we're going to be parents!" Tenten gushed. Ino blinked, before smiling and running over to hug Tenten. Neji looked on, and while he wasn't exactly beaming with joy, it was obvious that he, too, was excited.

"That's wonderful! When did you find out?!"

"Just last night. We were just talking about when we should tell everyone, and how we should tell them, but it doesn't matter, because we're having a baby!"

Laughing at her friend, Ino pulled away from the embrace. "This is so amazing! Have you told your parents yet?"

Tenten shook her head. "We had planned to tell them over dinner tonight. But, Ino, nobody else knows about this yet, and I kind of want to wait until I start showing the signs a bit more, so could you please keep this to yourself for a little while?"

Perking up slightly, Ino winked. "My lips are sealed! You two can totally count on me! Anyways, I have to get going, but congratulations!" She walked away with a slight bounce in her step.

Neji shook his head, turning to Tenten. "You know she's going to tell the entire village now, right?"

Hitting him lightly on the shoulder, she scolded him. "Give Ino a little credit. I mean, she works with the intel division, so she has to be able to keep some kind of secret, right?"

Rolling his eyes, Neji decided to appease her. "I guess only time will tell, at this point."

"Oh stop it! You get so grumpy sometimes, you look ridiculous. And then you start to pout-"

"I do not pout!-"

"Then explain why you get this look on your face!" Tenten pressed her lips in a tight line, pulling her eyebrows together in a mockingly accurate replica of Neji. He laughed and gripped her chin gently. He kissed her, listening as she giggled against his lips. He smiled and shook his head.

"What am I to do with you?"

"Hmmmm, love me."

"As you wish," he said as he kissed the top of her head.

* * *

True to Neji's prediction, the news spread like wildfire, in a pattern similar to how news of their relationship had spread. In short, Ino had upheld her reputation as the village gossip. Of course, Ino had made everyone promise not to tell their parents yet, but whether or not that would be upheld was unsure. The reactions of everyone were pretty predictable, but Ino was surprised when even Shino cracked a smile.

When she told Sasuke the news, Itachi had been behind her the entire time, and it was odd for Ino to see him as happy as he was. Sasuke seemed to be happy as well, but he made a mental note to try to keep his nosy mother out of this. That was not to say that Sasuke didn't love his mother, but even he grew tired of her constant meddling.

When he went pick Katsuro up, his father answered, and true to the man's uptight nature promptly led him inside. He saw his mother in the backyard, reading a book to his son by the small artificial pond. Seeing his Vati, Katsuro slid off of his grandma's lap, running over to hug his father. Sasuke smiled slightly as he ruffled his son's hair, and looked to his mother. He could tell that she had something up her sleeve, and to be honest, it was slightly unsettling. She smiled, walking over to her youngest son and hugging him gently. Sasuke returned the gesture, wondering what his mother had planned.

"So, dear, I was wondering if you could invite that surrogate over Sunday morning. Kushina is coming over, and we'd love to hear any news about the new baby."

Ah. So that was what she wanted. Sasuke remembered when Masumi had been pregnant, how she and Itachi had wanted it to be a surprise until they were out of the first trimester. However, Mikoto had interrogated the young woman more than any ANBU would have, resulting in Masumi's guilt and Mikoto's instant gratification. It would likely be the same for Tenten.

Sasuke shook his head at his mother's antics. "Her name is Tenten, mother, and I'll invite her over, but I can't guarantee her presence."

Mikoto sighed in disappointment. Well, she would find out one way or another. "All I ask is that you invite her over, say, at ten in the morning?"

Sighing, Sasuke nodded,no longer wishing to argue with his mother. He looked down to his son, nudging him over to his grandmother. "Say goodbye, Katsuro, and thank your grandmother for having you over today. "

Katsuro smiled, and hugged Mikoto. "Thank you for having me over today, Grandma! I love you!"

She smiled and kissed his cheek. "I love you too, sweetheart. Be good for your grouchy Vati, ok?"

Laughing, the boy nodded as his father rolled his eyes. "Goodbye, mother," he said as he hugged her. She placed a kiss on his cheek as well.

"Goodbye Sasuke. Don't forget to ask Tenten, alright?"

He nodded, taking hold of his son's hand and guiding him out. He said goodbye to his father and took his son home. Sighing, Sasuke decided that he wouldn't tell Tenten about Sunday, and he would let the latter decide when she wanted to go public with the news. And he also promised himself that he wouldn't allow his mother to badger it out of her, either.

* * *

Kushina placed a cover on the hot pot on the stove, humming to herself as she attended to the house. She heard the front door open, and smiled as she saw Naruto walk in, looking happier than she'd seen him in a while.

"You certainly look happy. How was your day?"

He smiled in that cheeky way of his. "It was great! And if you're making ramen for dinner, that'll make it even better."

Kushina laughed at the vigor in his voice. "And what made your day so great, if I may ask?"

He stuttered a bit. "Oh uhmmmmm... Nothing important, and especially nothing to do with the new baby or anything... Cause I don't know anything about that and it's not like anyone told me today that Tenten is pregnant... 'Cause that totally didn't happen... At all..." Naruto inwardly cursed himself. He had always been a terrible liar, and when he was near his parents, it just seemed to be worse.

Kushina smirked, knowing that he had given himself away. "Oh, so I see. So how are things going, seeing as how you're not sure when you'll be a father yet?"

Naruto shrugged. "Things are alright. I'm just worried that money could be tight, cause baby stuff is so expensive and all."

She nodded. "I know exactly what you mean. You cost your father and I a fortune, and that was over twenty years ago! I can only imagine how much things cost now."

Naruto blanched. "Yeah. I was looking at the stuff in the stores, and I saw this really nice crib that I liked. It could be changed into three different sized beds, and it had a changing table with drawers on the side, but it was over three hundred ryo! I mean, yeah, it's cool, but who can really afford all of that? That's the reason I didn't tell Tenten about it, cause I didn't want to disappoint her when I didn't buy it..."

Naruto's shoulders sagged, and he seemed to be really upset. Kushina smiled, and tried to cheer her son up. "It's perfectly fine that you didn't buy the crib, since it isn't your job. Most likely, Tenten's mom is going to buy the crib- it's just one of those weird, unspoken traditions. And you shouldn't start worrying about what to buy, not until you at least know the gender of the baby. For now, just be there for Tenten as a friend, and the rest will come to you later."

Naruto grinned cheekily. "Thanks mom, you really are the greatest!"

"Damn straight, you brat!" She laughed as he hugged her, and kissed the top of her head. Whatever else she was unsure of, she knew that her son would make an excellent father.

* * *

Tenten's father was not happy, to say the least. Here was his beautiful, lively daughter, in a relationship with possibly the most bland person he could think of. He knew that she had always harbored affections for the Hyuga boy, but when he met him in person, he didn't understand why. His wife, on the other hand, was positively excited.

"So, Neji, how do you feel about being a jonin?" she asked. As Tenten's mother looked at Neji, she was beside herself in joy. Her daughter had finally found someone to be with- someone who had achieved a high status in life, was respected throughout the village, was intelligent, and who loved her daughter back. Not to mention that the young man was handsome to boot!

Neji looked at her politely. "I feel the same as I did as a genin. Though the missions are more dangerous, and I have more responsibilities, I still feel the same amount of obligation to protect the village as I did back then."

Tenten's father scowled. The Hyuga just had to give his wife the perfect answer to the question. Now, all she would do is praise the kid and give him her approval. Tenten's father knew that his daughter loved the guy deeply, but that didn't mean he had to approve. Maybe there was a way to break them up..?

Suddenly, an awful idea sprung up into his train of thought. Turning his attention towards Neji, he started talking. "So, did you hear about the meeting of the clans a while ago?"

Neji nodded, feeling hesitant as to where his girlfriend's father was going with this. "Yes, I was in the room throughout the entire process."

The other man was even more displeased at the response. "So you know that Tenten will be a mother soon?"

"Dad!-"

Neji took it lightly. "Yes, and I will be a father to the same child that your daughter is having."

Tenten's mother was holding back her husband, muttering something along the lines of 'at least he isn't an Uchiha.' She turned to them, attempting to bring peace to the dinner table once again. "So, when will the pregnancy be confirmed?"

Tenten smiled, reaching over and grabbing Neji's hand. "I took a test today, and it came out positive. I'm about three weeks along!Here, I have a sonogram to show you guys!"

Tenten reached into her purse, pulling out the black and white image. Though the baby wasn't big, there was a small dot on the side, and there was no denying that it was there. As he looked at the image, her father stuttered. "So you mean... That the two of you... Are having a baby together?!"

Tenten laughed. "This sounds awful, but Neji is only one of the fathers. However, he's the one who will be the most involved with the pregnancy, since I'm going to be moving in with him."

Her father paled. The worst possible thing that could have happened to him that night was occurring before his eyes. He tried to persuade her otherwise. "You can always move back in with us."

Tenten smiled. "I know, Dad, but I also wanted to tell you two something else that's just as exciting."

"How could this get any worse?!" Her dad grumbled under his breath.

Looking to Neji excitedly, Tenten grabbed his hand, and he smiled at her. She turned back to her parents, letting out the worst possible statement that her father could hear. "We're engaged!"

Tenten's mom squealed in delight, while her father fainted in shock. The women gushed over the large ring sitting on Tenten's finger- it was white gold with an intricate pattern of garnet and diamonds. It had been the wedding ring of Neji's parents, and he had it resized to fit Tenten's finger. Neji regretted the death of his mother and father, but by giving Tenten the ring, he believed that he would honor their sacrifices to the village, and uphold their values on marriage.

"It's absolutely beautiful! Oh, darling! When will the wedding be?!"

"We haven't decided yet, but it will be some time after the baby's been born- just so I can fit into a dress if anything!"

"Let me know if you want me to pay for anything-anything at all!"

"Alright, we will!" Tenten hugged her mother tightly, and walked over to her father.

"Dad," she asked with pleading eyes. "Will you do me the honor of giving me away?"

Her father looked down, and rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "You... He really means that much to you, doesn't he?"

Tenten nodded.

Taking a deep breath, her father sighed again. "Alright, I'll do it." Tenten squealed with excitement, wrapping her arms tightly around her father's neck and kissed his cheek. He hugged her back, glaring at Neji over Tenten's shoulder.

Neji sighed. While Tenten's parents were eccentric, he could see himself having them as in laws. At the very least, they were capable of understanding more so than his clan could ever attempt to be.

Well, her mom was anyways.

They left shortly after telling her parents the news, and Neji received many threats from Tenten's dad. As they were sitting in bed, Tenten was reading over a book about parenting tactics that she had snagged from Ino while Neji reviewed a mission report. She sighed, knowing that she couldn't focus until she knew the answer to her question.

"Neji?"

He looked up, "What is it?"

"When should we tell everyone, as in, the rest of the village?"

He sighed, setting his report down. "Let's wait until the Hokage's holiday party. That way, we can plan out what's going to happen, and you'll probably be done with your first trimester by then. Does that sound ok?"

She nodded, knowing that she could hardly wait to tell everyone the news. Tenten secretly worried about the suspicions of the clans, but she was certain that she wouldn't be showing too much, right?

* * *

Almost three months had passed, and while Tenten was definitely starting to have a bump, the dress she had chosen for that night hid it well. She was also over her mood swings for the most part, and she didn't always have to use the bathroom. Gone as well was the constant morning sickness that had plagued her, and according to Tsunade, the risk of losing the baby had significantly decreased.

Tenten and Neji had also been making plans for their wedding, and had just announced their engagement officially. While she couldn't take his last name, she would still be his 'lawfully wedded wife.' After going through the calendar of what was to happen over the next several months, they had decided that either the November of the following year, or the April of the year after that would be best. That way, even the baby could enjoy the marriage.

Speaking of the baby, she was going to find out soon whether it was a boy or a girl, and she was on pins and needles with excitement. While little girls were fun to dress up, Tenten realized that little boys were more fun to play with. As she was caught up in her inner musings, Neji wrapped his arms around her waist.

She smiled up at him. "Tonight's the night," she beamed as he leaned down and kissed her cheek.

"Yes, it is. But we need to decide who will announce it- you or the Hokage?"

"Hmm, well, it was his idea in the first place, so lets have him do it. Plus, the clans are all here, and it's a bit intimidating to have to speak to all of them at once."

Neji nodded, holding her more closely to him. "I'll go tell him, and it looks like you have a surprise visitor."

Tenten turned, and saw none other than Temari walking over, her arms outstretched to hug her best friend. They ran over to each other, hugging tightly and speaking excitedly. After the chunin exams and the attack on the Leaf Village, the two had made peace, and quickly became as close as sisters.

"I haven't seen you in forever! How are things in the Sand?!"

"Haha, they're fine, but it'd be more fun if you had visited me sometime within the last four months!"

Tenten smiled sheepishly. "Sorry about that, I'll tell you why that's happened in a bit."

Temari gave her a confused glance. "Just tell me now! It can't be that you're engaged to Neji finally, can it?"

Tenten laughed nervously. "That too, but it's bigger news than that!"

Temari raised an eyebrow. "Don't tell me he got you knocked up."

Tenten stuttered. "How did you-"

"He did, didn't he?! I can't believe it!-"

Tenten grabbed Temari's hand and pulled her into a corner. "Ok, I'm going to tell you the situation, but you have to keep it a secret. Promise me you won't tell anyone?"

Temari nodded. Taking a deep breath, Tenten explained the meeting of the clans, the incubation process, and how she had been the surrogate of the baby for the past three months. By the time she finished, Temari was speechless.

"That's a lot to go through. God, I can't believe you're having a kid... It's just so unreal."

Tenten nodded. "We're officially announcing the due date tonight, so you have to pretend you're surprised, ok?"

"Alright, jeez! Pregnancy has made you paranoid, that's for sure!"

"Oh, shut up!"

They laughed, and Neji joined them, making them awkwardly try to cover up the fact that Temari knew. He turned to Tenten. "Let me guess, you told her?"

"Uh, yeah, pretty much."

He sighed. "Well now we can ask her. Go on, Tenten."

She looked to Temari wistfully. "I have two things to ask you. First, will you be my maid of honor, and second, will you be the godmother of the baby?"

Temari smiled widely. "Did you really have to ask?! You already know my answer to both is yes!"

Tenten smiled and hugged her best friend as Minato called the room to attention.

"Let me say that it is such a pleasure to have all of you here to celebrate the holiday season. It's wonderful to see so many friends join myself and my family in this event."

There was a light applause. He continued. "Recently, the clans have come together in the hopes of creating peace by parenting a shared child, and it is my pleasure to let you all know, that the due date has been confirmed for July sixteenth. As such, I would like to propose a toast- to a wonderful holiday season, peace, and a new life!"

The toast was repeated, and the festivities continued afterwards. Tenten received many wishes for a healthy pregnancy, from the clan leaders and from other distinguished ninja. When Kushina and Mikoto approached her, she was a little nervous. The two of them were notorious for meddling in the affairs of others, especially when their sons were involved. Still, Tenten smiled and made herself friendly.

Mikoto was the first to speak. "Congratulations, dear! This must be so exciting for you!" And then the Uchiha did something that caught Tenten completely off guard- she hugged her. Mikoto gave her a fond smile. "Have you and your mother made any plans for the baby shower yet?"

"Uh no, not yet. We wanted to wait until we knew whether or not the baby was a boy or girl, and then we were going to make plans."

The other woman continued to smile. "Well, please keep me informed, and let me know if I can do anything. Congratulations again!"

Smiling back, Tenten murmured a thank you, and turned to Kushina.

"Yay you! I'm so happy that you get to experience this, and that I'll have a grandbaby in a few months! Let me know if you need anything, or if my son is being a total and complete dud!"

With that, the two eccentric women walked off, and Tenten's peers joined her. They all seemed to be happy with the knowledge now public. As they talked about arrangements for the baby, Minato walked over with a bright smile on his face.

"Congratulations again to all of you! I'm happy that we've come to an agreement, but I have one more thing I would like to propose to you all."

Sakura raised an eyebrow skeptically. "What more can we do?"

Minato laughed. "This time, you'll be on the receiving end. If you'd all please follow me." He turned and walked off into a room that had a large desk in the center. He closed the door when everyone had entered. "As you might have already discovered, working around all of your living arrangements and planning a custody schedule is a major hassle, and that's what I want to help you with." He pulled out what looked like a blueprint to a rather expansive mansion. "If you all live in the same home, this will be less of a problem, so with your permission, I can have this home built in three months, tops. What do you say?"

Sasuke grunted. "That's all well and fine, but I already have a home, and I can't afford to leave my son by himself. Unless I can have him stay with me, I can't consent to that."

Shikamaru nodded. "Agreed. Plus, I don't know how Kaori would like me living with other women."

Minato thought about it for a minute. "What if you didn't have to move in, but you were still there when it was your time with the baby, would you consider it then?"

Ino thought about it. "I would, but what if something arises with my clan? I'd need to be there to take care of things, and I wouldn't want to just leave the baby, you know?"

The Hokage nodded again. "I see what you mean. I understand your concerns, I really do, but are you open enough to it being an option for construction to start?"

Choji nodded. "If anything, we could just keep it as an option for when we have the baby, and go back to our homes the rest of the time, am I right?"

Minato smiled. "Yes, that'd be perfect! So do I have permission?" He purposely turned to Tenten, as did everyone else in the room.

She nodded. "Yes, you do."

Minato's grin widened. "It's settled. Construction will start within the week."

* * *

It was a month later, and Tenten sat looking at the sonogram. It was official, she was having a healthy baby girl. She smiled to herself, wondering who to tell first. She pulled out her cell phone, and called her mother. It rang a few times before her mother picked up.

"Hello sweetheart!"

"Hey Mom, I just had a sonogram, and I know what the baby's going to be!"

"OH MY GOD! That's fantastic! What is it?!"

"It's a girl!"

"Oh, sweetie, that's amazing! We have to start planning the baby shower!"

"I know! I can't wait to tell Neji and the others!"

"Alright, well, I'll let you go then. Take care!"

"You too, Mom!" Tenten slid a bar on her touchscreen, ending the call. She smiled to herself- a baby girl! Now she could shamelessly look at all of the little dresses that she saw in stores. She changed out of the examination gown and into her new maternity clothes. While she wasn't necessarily huge yet, her normal clothes were far too tight to be considered comfortable.

As she left the hospital, she went to the construction site where the new mansion- her new home- was being built. The foundation and walls were up, and at this point most of the plumbing and electrical were being worked on. She put on a mask before she went in, and when she went into the area that was going to be the backyard, she saw most of the guys working on the soon-to-be pool. Sasuke was the first to notice her, and he called the rest of the guys over. Neji hugged her and kissed the top of the head.

"Did you find out today?" he asked quietly.

Smiling behind her mask, Tenten nodded. She looked over to the rest of the group, "It's a girl!"

Shikamaru laughed and hugged her. "That's great! Congratulations!"

"Thank you!"

Choji laughed. "I'm so happy for you Tenten! Have you thought of any names yet?"

She shook her head. "Not yet. I'm going to need a lot of help with that, seeing as how there are so many expectations for this little girl."

Shino nodded. "I see. Sayuri and Natsuki will be happy to know that it's a girl. Congratulations."

"Thanks, Shino." Tenten smiled, and the other gave a nod of acknowledgement.

Naruto smiled. "A baby girl... I've always wanted a daughter," he said softly. Suddenly, he hugged Tenten, tears of joy in his eyes. "Thank you... Thank you so much for giving me such a wonderful gift! And especially, thank you for being such an incredible friend..."

Tenten was taken aback. Was this really Naruto?! Sure, she knew that he was a really sweet person, but who would have thought that he wanted to be a father this badly? Smiling softly, Tenten hugged him back. "You're welcome, Naruto. Thanks for your support, and I know you'll be a great Dad." She pulled away, and Naruto's smile went back to being as cheeky as ever, and he ran off saying something about telling his mom.

"Congratulations," Sasuke murmured, smiling a bit. He was slightly disappointed, since he had openly expressed that he had wanted another son, but was nonetheless happy that he was going to be a father again. He continued. "My mother will be so happy to hear that she's finally getting a granddaughter."

Kiba smiled. "Well, congrats to all of us, I guess. I don't know a lot about kids, but if they're anything like pups, this one will be well-looked out for."

Tenten smiled. "Thanks, guys. I'm going to get going now, the girls are probably dying to hear the news. See you later!" As she headed out, she turned. "And by the way, the house is looking amazing!" Neji followed her for a while.

"Congratulations, Tenten, I'm so happy for us." he said gently as he kissed her face. "Do your parents know yet?"

She turned to face him, placing her hand on his chest. "Yes, I called my mom as soon as I found out." Tenten stood on her toes and pecked his lips.

"Mmm," he mumbled. "I wonder what she'll look like, and who she'll look like."

Tenten smiled. "She'll be the most beautiful girl in the village, and probably in the Fire Nation. Actually, I think she'll be the fairest of them all," she joked.

Neji smiled a bit. "No matter; she won't be allowed to have a suiter unless I approve of him."

Tenten laughed. "You and the rest of the dads back there- poor kid won't even be allowed within a ten kilometer radius of a male!"

Neji smirked. "That sounds fine with me."

Tenten hit him playfully. "Whatever! But I've really have to go now. I'll see you at dinner tonight."

They kissed, and Tenten sauntered off to the furniture store a few blocks away.

As she walked in, she found the rest of the girls in the nursery section looking at cribs. She smiled and waved at Sakura, who was the first to spot her.

"How did it go?" The doctor asked.

Tenten smiled. "It went really well, and I know what they baby is going to be now." she said teasingly.

Ino ran over with Hinata on her heels. "Well, don't just stand there- tell us!"

Tenten smiled, and paused just to build the anticipation. Finally, she said, "It's a girl!" The women hugged each other, squealing in absolute delight at the news. It took a few minutes, and quite a few glares from other customers, for the group to quiet down.

Tenten looked over at the cribs. "Have you guys found anything that you like yet?"

Sakura shook her head. "Not yet- we were waiting for you to show up. There are two that we just can't decide on." She walked over to a crib that boasted a '4-in-1' structure. "Both of them change into beds, and they both have a changing table on the side, but it's the type of wood and the color that we can't agree on." She continued and touched the crib in question. "I really like this one, and I think it'll be a better fit for the baby's room. It's pine, and it seems pretty sturdy, and it has more drawers on the changing table."

Tenten nodded. "Which is the other one?"

Ino took them over a few cribs down. "This one. Like Sakura said, in terms of versatility, they both turn into beds. While the changing table has less drawers, they're deeper and wider, and I personally prefer that. Plus, the wood is maple, and it has a really nice cherry color, which I feel adds more dimension to it." she looked up at Tenten. "So which one do you want?"

Tenten shrugged, and saw something out of the corner of her eye. Walking over, she saw an oak crib, with a light mahogany stain. The changing table on the side was large, with five large drawers and a small cabinet on the side. She felt the perfectly sanded edges, and as she looked down where the crib mattress was, she saw a beautiful baby- her beautiful baby- sleeping peacefully inside. Gasping, she looked over her shoulder. Ino, Sakura, and Hinata walked over. Tenten looked at them, "This is the one."

The three others saw the determination in Tenten's eyes, and they smiled at her. Ino handed Tenten the price scanner, and the latter scanned the tag. Ino smiled, "Let's go find some other furniture to match it, alright?"

Tenten smiled. "Alright."

They found a matching dresser, bookshelf, and bassinet, adding all three to the list being stored on the price scanner.

Tenten turned to the other women. "What kind of theme should the room be? And moreover, what theme is the baby shower going to be?"

Sakura thought for a moment. "I think that those butterfly blankets and stuff are really cute."

Ino scoffed. "That's so boring Sakura! Who are you, Shino? I feel that a princess theme would be appropriate, seeing as how this little girl is going to be so spoiled."

Tenten nodded in consideration. "What do you think, Hinata?"

The latter smiled. "I really like flowers as a theme."

Tenten smiled. "Ok, well, since none of us agree, why don't we just each pick out a bedset and see what we like best, ok?"

They nodded and set out. scanning the shelves, Tenten saw the cutest little bed sheets with a cupcake print all over. Next to that was a pillow with a winking, smiling cupcake, and Tenten couldn't resist picking it up. After a few minutes, all four of the women met up again, showing the others what they came up with.

Sakura had picked up the butterfly set, Ino had a regal looking printed set, and Hinata had the flower set. Tenten sighed.

"It seems like we all just kind of picked the things we liked a few minutes ago. Maybe there's a way that we can pull them all together?"

Ino smiled. "That sounds great! hmm, maybe a theme would be like, a fairy theme?"

Sakura shook her head. "I was thinking more along the lines of a park theme, maybe?"

Hinata's face scrunched up in thought. "Maybe something like a pond theme?"

Tenten smiled, and caught all of their attention. "i've got it! The theme could be, 'In the Garden!'"

Ino grinned widely. "That's perfect!"

Sakura added, "What a cute idea!"

Hinata laughed lightly. "You always were the creative one, Tenten!"

Tenten smiled. "Ok, so now that we have a theme for the room, we should probably head to the warehouse to pick out paint for the room."

Sakura nodded. "Let's check out."

Tenten nodded. She sighed sadly, thinking about how much she had really liked the cupcake sheet set. Seeing this Ino placed a hand on her shoulder. "You know, she's probably going to need another sheet set for winter, and that one looks pretty thick, so you can still buy it."

Tenten smiled at her. "Yeah, you're right. In fact, i think she'll need a different sheet set for every season."

They laughed, and told Sakura and Hinata to place their choices into the cart. They checked out, and dropped the stuff off at Neji and Tenten's apartment before heading to the warehouse.

In the paint section, there was another argument between Ino and Sakura over the room color. Ino wanted a royal purple, while Sakura favored a soft pink that was similar to her hair color. Hinata had suggested a yellow, but her request was drowned out over the shouting of the other two women.

"That has to be the most hideous shade of pink I've ever seen!"

"It can't be any uglier than that shit-eating purple you've picked out!"

"Everyone knows that purple is the color of class and elegance, and that pink is just for attention-seeking harlots!"

"What the hell did you just say to me?!"

"You heard me! I'll repeat myself: Pink is just for-"

"Will you two just knock it off and shut the hell up!" Tenten was fuming. All afternoon they had been going back and forth, and she was getting so tired of it. Ino and Sakura stopped and looked at her apologetically.

"Sorry Tenten, I didn't mean to go overboard on that," Sakura mumbled.

"Yeah, me too. That must have been really stressful for you," Ino muttered.

Tenten shook her head. "It's fine. Anyways, Hinata has suggested this yellow, and I really like this lilac, so let's just make up our minds soon- my feet are killing me!"

They put the color samples side by side, and compared the pro's and con's of each. In the end, they agreed on the lilac Tenten had picked, and they checked out of the store. Ino took the buckets over to the mansion, and bid everyone goodnight, with Sakura going to her shift at the hospital shortly after.

Hinata smiled over at Tenten. "so other than your feet hurting, how do you feel?"

Tenten shrugged. "I just kind of have that feeling that you get after eating a lot, you know? It's kind of like I'm bloated really badly, and I get so tired easily. It's annoying, really."

"Oh, I see. Have you had any weird cravings yet?"

"Nothing really weird, but I am craving Chinese food all the time. That and cake."

"At the same time?"

"No, not necessarily. It doesn't matter anyways- Neji never lets me have either. He says that it's too unhealthy, and if I sneak it into the apartment, he always throws it out and gives me crap. I love him, I really do, but sometimes, I just wish he'd shut the hell up and let me eat my food, dammit!"

Hinata laughed. "I know what you mean. Hiroaki never let me eat sweets as much as I wanted to while I was pregnant, and I swear, I was never so irritated in my life with anyone!"

Tenten laughed as they stopped in front of her apartment complex. "Yeah, I kind of remember that." She smiled at her soon-to-be cousin in law. "Hey Hinata?"

"Yes?"

"The others and I were talking, and we were thinking that you and Itachi should be godparents to the child. I mean, Temari and Gaara have already agreed to it too, but apparantly it's Hyuga and Uchiha tradition to have at least six. So, if you wouldn't mind..?"

The Hyuga heiress smiled gently. "Of course I'll be her godmother! What did Itachi say?"

Tenten rubbed the back of her neck. "He said yes. I still don't know what to make of him- he's so quiet, and it's kind of intimidating to be around him. Don't get me wrong, he's been pretty nice to me, but it's just so... weird, you know?"

Hinata smiled. "Yes, I know. But I also know that Itachi is a really nice person, and he wouldn't hurt a fly if he hadn't become a ninja. He's just got so much on his shoulders that it's kind of hard for him to manage. Try to talk to him, and you'll see just how kind he really is."

Tenten nodded. "Alright, I'll give it a shot." Hugging her friend warmly, she bid the other goodnight. "Thank you for going shopping with me today! I really appreciate it!"

Pulling back, Hinata winked. "It was my pleasure! Call me if you want to do it again- I'm sure Neji will be thrilled!" The last part was said with a subtle sarcasm that only Hinata could manage.

Laughing, Tenten waved. "I will. Goodnight!"

Hinata waved back. "Goodnight!"

Tenten turned, deciding whether or not to take the stairs or the elevator. She needed to stay active, but she had been walking around all day. Ah screw it, she thought, I'm taking the elevator.

Arriving on the top floor, she walked into her apartment to find Neji looking at all of her recent purchases. She laughed, leaning against the doorframe.

"What do you think?"

He turned and looked at her seriously. "I think that the lot of you women have a shopping complex, and that it's worse when you're out together."

Tenten laughed. "But we only bought the necessities!"

"I don't think it's necessary to have four sets of sheets for a baby."

Rolling her eyes, Tenten responded. "Well, she has to have at least one for every season! It's common sense! Do you really want her to freeze in the winter, or overheat in the summer?"

Sighing in exasperation, Neji relented. "I'm not going to win this one, am I?"

Feigning thought, Tenten smirked at him. "Hmmm, nope!"

He smiled as he shook his head. tenten walked over to the couch and sat on his lap, wrapping her arms around him. He looked down to her. "I ran into Lee and Gai Sensei earlier. They wanted to know how far along you were, and I forgot the number of weeks it's been."

Tenten shrugged. "It's been about twenty-two weeks, so I'm approximately five months along."

Neji pulled out one of her buns. "I thought it was about that long." Playing with her now free hair, he continued speaking. "Did Hinata agree to being a godmother?"

Tenten nodded. "We knew she would, it was Itachi that we weren't sure about."

"That's true. So we have four godparents, and only two left to go. Who should we pick?"

Tenten's eyebrows furrowed. "Why is it necessary to have six godparents in the first place? It just creates more of a hassle."

Neji shrugged. "It's just a tradition, nothing more." Noticing his fiance's lethargy, he nudged her gently. "We should go to bed soon." Tenten nodded, holding out her arms to him.

"Carry me," she whined sleepily.

Rolling his eyes, he lifted her off of the couch and placed her on their bed. She was dead asleep, and pulling out her other bun, he let her sleep. He changed into his boxers, laying next to her and stroking her hair affectionately. His hand traveled to her stomach, and it stayed there. He smiled as he thought of his baby girl, and fell asleep next to his lover.

* * *

Itachi looked over the data on his ex- sister in law with a frown. Not even the other nations had reported her as having crossed their border. In addition, there were more accounts of ANBU murders, and these were coming from the other villages.

Looking over the files on Madara Uchiha, each one of them swore that he had died at the Hokage's hands over twenty six years ago, when the Nine-Tails had attacked. Running his hands through his hair, he placed the papers back down on the desk in his study.

The timing on all of this was awful for the village with his new niece coming, yet he wondered how this unknown threat had found such an opportune time to strike. Sighing, he went to change into his sweats and go to bed, when he caught a note on the edge of one of the files:

June 27, 2006: Insane asylum patient Hachiro Honda arrested for assassinating five civilians. In his plead for insanity, he claimed that he only killed because of Madara Uchiha possessing him. Found guilty; diagnosed with schizophrenia; high security: Rm 2508, building 7.

Itachi re-read the note three times, and made a note to find this guy first thing tomorrow morning. Finally, he had a lead!

* * *

Hope you enjoyed! Next chapter will be the bay shower, and you'll find out the little girl's name :) If you could please leave me a review, even if you say that the story is crappy, I would appreciate it! Thanks :)

P.S., i'll give you super extra brownie points for guessing what I'm doing with the chapter titles ;)


	4. Chapter 4: Baby Mine

Hey everyone! It's finally here- you guys get to meet the baby! This chapter does describe birth, but not much more than saying how painful it is. Still, you've been somewhat warned now! Also, it gets kind of cheesy in this chapter- but that's what parenthood is about :)

I hope you enjoy! And thank you to everyone who alerted, favorited, and reviewed- you guys are the best!

* * *

Chapter 4: Baby Mine

Tenten bustled about frantically in the gardens of the newly finished mansion. The mid-June breeze rustled through her bangs as she hurried to put the centerpieces on the tables. Every time she thought she was done, she would find some sort of flaw and neurotically find some reason to fix it. As she looked at the clock, she found that evening was approaching- it was already 4:15 and the party would start at 5:00! Just as she was about to rearrange a table for the umpteenth time, a hand fell on her shoulder. Turning, she saw Temari smirking at her.

"You should really take a break, or the baby will be a month early."

Tenten sighed. "I know, but I feel like everything is wrong, and that this whole thing is out of place, and-"

Temari nudged her towards the stairs. "Why don't you go take a long, hot shower, and the girls and I will take it from here?"

Tenten turned around, "But the cake still isn't here and everything still needs to be set up!"

"The cake will be here shortly, and you have everything else done."

"But!-"

"Shower. Now."

With nothing more to argue, Tenten went upstairs to shower. The second story of the home had an interesting layout, but one she couldn't argue with. There were four bedrooms on the edges, with two bathrooms. In the center was the baby's room, and it was connected to a playroom that all of the children shared. As she came up to the nursery, she stepped in, and felt the same rush of excitement that she always had every time she went in.

The lilac walls were decorated beautifully, with a garden theme. Butterflies and dragonflies of every color lined the ceiling underneath the crown molding. The crib that her mother had brought over earlier that morning was set to the right of the doorway, and it was placed underneath paintings of cherry tree branches with petals seemingly falling. Sparrow flew around the room freely, some on branches and others near the flowers lining the bottom of the room. To the left of the door was the closet, which was already half-full with frilly little dresses and the like. The inside of the closet had shelves, drawers, and cabinets, which would be used for storing sheets, toys, and even more clothes. The wall opposite the door had a small bookshelf, waiting to be filled with stories, and a small stereo sat at the top. There was also another door on that side so that other people could have easier access to the baby. It was currently locked, since the baby hadn't arrived, but after she was here, it would be opened.

A pair of arms hugged her from behind. She didn't have to turn around to know it was her mother. She placed her hand over those of her mom's, standing there for a moment.

"So, did I get the right crib?" Her mom finally asked.

Tenten laughed. She turned slightly to face her mom. "Yes, it's the perfect match."

There was a small laugh from behind her. "Good. I paid too much money to be wrong!" Tenten laughed as well, and then there was a silent pause. "Sweetie, I hope you know that your father and I are so proud of you, and we love you so much. Even if you chose not to continue with your career as a ninja, you are the first in our family to have ever become a shinobi, and you should be proud of that."

Tenten faced her mom fully, a soft smile on her face. "I would never have been able to do this without yours and Dad's support. Thank you so, so much."

Her mother laughed, turning towards the stairs. "You're welcome. Now to take a shower before Temari personally comes up here to yell at you." Tenten responded with a laugh.

Stepping out of the room, Tenten walked across the hall to her own. She grabbed her towel, robe, and dress and stepped into the bathroom she shared with Neji. She turned the knob to run the hot water, and as the water heated up, she undressed. Stepping into the shower, she instantly relaxed as the hot water eased her tense muscles. The steam cleared her thoughts and earlier stress, and she gladly welcomed it. As she massaged the shampoo into her hair, the scent furthered her relaxation, and bliss overtook her. She was glad she had picked a long dress for this occasion, because she was too lazy to shave. That, and the bump was far too large for her to be able to see or reach her calves. As the water became cold, Tenten stepped out and dried herself off.

After drying her hair off and placing it into her buns, she changed into her dress and went downstairs. When she saw Temari, she stopped the other and handed her a bottle of nail polish. "Paint my toes for me?" she asked with a pout.

Temari rolled her eyes and motioned her over to the couch. After ten minutes, Tenten's nails were dried, and the doorbell chimed.

Ino answered, greeting someone and welcoming them inside. Of course, it was none other than Mikoto and Kushina, both carrying gift bags. As the two stepped in, Tenten noticed that Masumi, Toshio, and Katsuro were behind them. Mikoto smiled warmly at Tenten, hurrying over with outstretched arms. She hugged Tenten and placed her hand on her stomach.

"How are you, dear?"

The relationship that the two shared was a bit odd, and Tenten was kind of uncomfortable around the Uchiha woman. It wasn't that Mikoto had done anything to her, but she couldn't shake the feeling that the other had some sort of motive. Maybe it was just the fact that Sasuke continuously complained about his so called 'meddling mother,' or that Mikoto had a reputation for sticking her nose into other people's business. Then again, there was always the possibility that Tenten was merely intimidated by the other woman, and felt out-classed by her every time that they talked.

Tenten smiled. "I'm doing well, thank you. And yourself?"

With a laugh, Mikoto tossed her hair over her shoulder. "I'm fine, thank you." Taking a look around, the Uchiha's smile widened a bit. "The place is lovely. Congratulations!"

"Thank you. The party will be outside on the patio, so please, help yourself to some drinks." Mikoto nodded and walked towards the back, not-so-secretly scrutinizing every detail of the rooms she passed on the way to the back yard.

Masumi hugged Tenten warmly, quietly congratulating her and following her mother in law out to the back yard. Tenten really like Masumi- the latter was nothing but kind, sincere, and honest. In addition, whenever they were able to have a conversation, Tenten always felt a little happier after she left, like Masumi was radiating endorphins or something.

Toshio bowed respectfully after greeting Tenten and followed his mother, while his cousin Katsuro lingered.

Katsuro placed his hands on Tenten's stomach, and spoke to the little person inside. "Baby sister, you need to grow already so you can come out of Miss Tenten. Everyone's waiting for you, especially Vati, Grandma, and Uncle 'Tachi, and I wanna meet you, so hurry up and come out to meet me! Big brother Katsuro loves you a whole bunch, ok? Bye!" With that, the small boy ran to the back to join the rest of his clan, and the slightly awkward moment caused the women in the room to laugh.

Tenten turned to Kushina, smiling widely and hugging her tightly. The two had a fairly strong bond, and Tenten enjoyed how the other woman was so easy going and fiery at the same time. She also found it humorous that the Hokage- the strongest shinobi in village history, and possibly in all of the nations- was slightly afraid of his wife's temper. She also made things easier for Tenten, by doing little things such as making dinner for her and helping her to get the mansion ready for the baby. "Thank you for coming, how are you?!"

Kushina laughed. "I couldn't be any better! And what about you- you look about ready to pop!"

Tenten laughed. "I wish! I'm kind of done with being pregnant, and it's so hot and miserable. If we didn't have the pool, I would have forced myself into labor by now!"

"I absolutely understand you. Has Naruto been helping you at all?"

Rolling her eyes, Tenten nodded. "Yeah, him and everyone else. Don't get me wrong, it's nice to have everyone helping me out, but sometimes, I just kind of want a break from people."

Kushina smiled. "He's just like his father. I couldn't move without Minato hovering over me the entire time! But after Naruto was born, I was grateful that he was such a helicopter-I rarely had to do anything!"

Tenten smiled. "Yeah, it'll be nice to have so much help from everyone."

Kushina placed a hand on her shoulder and squeezed. "Let me know if you want me to take the baby, please! I don't care when or where, but I would love to have some alone time with her."

Placing her hand over Kushina's, Tenten grinned. "Of course! I really want the baby to have enough alone time with everyone, I think it'll be good for her, you know?"

"I know. Anyways, Mikoto will be expecting me soon, so I'd better get out there!"

Laughing, Tenten waved her off. "Alright, I'll join you two in a moment!"

No sooner than when Kushina left did the doorbell ring again. As she opened the door, she saw Yoshino, Mrs. Akimichi, and Mrs. Yamanaka holding gifts in their hands, each adorning a bright smile on their faces. Tenten stepped aside, allowing them in. They had their grandchildren with them as well, and Kanako, Shigeru, and Haruna ran upstairs to the playroom excitedly after greeting Tenten. Kaori and Hanako were in the back of the group, patiently waiting for their in laws to greet Tenten before them.

Tenten hugged each of the women, thanking them for coming. They all asked the same, run-of-the-mill questions: how are you, are you excited, and have you thought of any names yet. Tenten gave generic responses to their questions and eventually the three joined Mikoto and Kushina outside.

Up in the playroom, The three toddlers talked about the new baby. Well, it was more like Kanako was talking, Shigeru was pouting, and Haruna was listening to her best friend.

"I'm so happy it's a sister, 'cause boys are dumb!" Kanako said with an imperious smirk, ignoring Shigeru's scowl. "You wanna know what I think a good name would be?"

"What?" Haruna said, sitting up straighter.

"Kanako number two, or Kanako the second, or maybe even Kanako Junior!"

Haruna pouted. "I don't like any of those names," she mumbled.

Kanako was taken aback. How could anyone not like those names- they were so perfect, and especially for her baby sister. With a stomp, she turned to Haruna and inquired "Well, why not?!"

Though Haruna hardly ever had any other emotion besides happiness, Kanako was definitely starting to push her buttons. The Akimichi girl stood her ground, despite the fact that it meant going against her best friend. "Cause they're all your name, and not everything is 'bout you!"

Kanako couldn't believe her ears- though nobody ever said so directly, she knew that everything was about her, and about what she wanted. When she had asked her Daddy, he had always responded that yes, everything was about her. Kanako was two, and as such, it had never occurred to her that Shikamaru was merely being sarcastic. Her mind was set, she had to tell Haruna that it was too about her. "Yeah huh!"

Haruna had been raised differently, and Choji and Hanako had always told her that she should be generous and think of everyone, instead of just herself. Haruna knew that she and Kanako didn't agree on this, but she had to let her friend know that her selfishness wasn't ok. Unfortunately, Haruna couldn't quite articulate at that level, so she came up with the best response her two year old mind could muster to Kanako's equally naïve comment. "Nuh-uh!"

Kanako's temper rose. How dare Haruna go against her?! Everybody knew that she was the boss of everything- she was going to be the head of the Nara Clan in the future!- so why would her best friend of all people not believe her. Kanako decided that intimidation would work best on the other girl. "You wanna bet?" she growled.

Haruna became angry, which surprised the other girl. In all of her time getting to know her best friend, Kanako had never seen Haruna get so mad! It was kind of scary, especially when Haruna stood up with her fists clenched. "I'm going to beat you up, Kanako!"

The small little Nara girl screamed, running down the stairs with the Akimichi chasing her. "And they say boys are stupid," Shigeru mumbled, and went back to his pouting.

Haruna chased Kanako down the stairs, and almost caught the latter when she tripped on the steps. They ran outside to the patio, with Kanako running to hide behind Kaori. Hanako grabbed Haruna as she ran past. Everyone was surprised to see the two acting this way.

"Kanako,what is going on?!" Kaori stood, looking at the child disapprovingly.

"She's gonna hurt me, Mommy!"

Hanako turned to Haruna, a frown evident. "Is this true, Haruna?"

The little girl looked down guiltily. Slowly, she nodded.

Kaori was shocked. "What happened while you two were in the playroom?"

Haruna looked up, angry once again. "Kanako was being mean and bossy, and she kept saying that it was all 'bout her, and the baby should have her name!"

"Well, it's true! I'm going to be the best big sister, and you know it! Stupid!"

Kaori glared at her daughter. "Kanako, stop it, right now! Do you want me to ground you again?,"

"But Mommy!-"

"No, no buts! I'm tired of you acting this way! Go stand in the corner until I say you can come out."

Kanako cried as she walked into her corner. She stuck out her tongue to Haruna as she passed, earning her a sharp swat on the butt from Kaori.

Hanako turned to Haruna. "You're in trouble too. Go into the corner, and I'll let you know when you can come out."

Tearing up, Haruna nodded and did as she was told.

Kaori shook her head. "I can't believe that the two of them actually got into a fight! What am I going to tell Shikamaru?"

Hanako shook her head. "Just tell him the truth. To be honest, I kind of figured that they would have a fight, just not this soon."

Yoshino sighed. "Knowing my son, he'll probably yell at her for five minutes and leave the rest to you, Kaori. Honestly, I think that Kanako needs to work on her patience before something like this happens again."

Mrs. Akimichi nodded. "And Haruna as well. She's never lost her temper, but she's showing signs of passive-aggressiveness, and it could only get worse."

Kaori and Hanako didn't respond, both of them knowing that their mother in laws were right.

Ino turned. "Has anyone seen Shigeru? He's almost always around the girls..."

"Maybe he's still upstairs?"

Ino sighed. "I'll go look for him." She went upstairs, headed towards the play room. Standing outside the door, she heard little sniffles from the inside. Walking into the room, she saw the little blond on the floor, looking absolutely pathetic. She picked him up, rubbing his back.

"What's the matter baby?"

He shook his head into her shoulder. "Nobody listens to me no more!"

Stroking his hair, Ino sighed. "Yes we do sweetie. Why do you feel that way?"

"C-cause Haruna and Kanako were talking, a-and I wanted to say something, but then they started fighting and left me all by myself!" He started sobbing, and grabbed fistfuls of Ino's dress.

She rubbed his back and kissed his forehead. "Maybe you should talk to them about it, and they'll understand. Do you wanna go do that?"

Shigeru shook his head again. Ino sighed. "Do you wanna come spend some time with Grandmama outside then?" He nodded, and Ino carried him downstairs. When she came onto the patio, she placed her son in her mother's lap.

Mrs. Yamanaka looked at her grandson. "Awe, my poor baby! What's the matter?!" He shook his head as he'd been doing the entire afternoon, and she kissed his forehead. "Grandmama will make it all better, ok?" He snuggled into her, whimpering as he cried pitifully.

Tenten heard the doorbell ring, and sprung up to get it. Answering, she saw little Sayuri's bright smile as a gift was thrust into her face.

"Hi Miss Tenten! I brought you and baby sister a present! It's really pretty, and you're going to like it lots! Daddy helped pick it out, and Mummy wrapped it all pretty, and I'm giving it to you and baby sister-"

Laughing, Tenten bent down to hug her. "Thank you, Sayuri, I'm sure that I'll like it very much, and so will your baby sister."

The little girl bounced around, babbling excitedly. Laughing, Tenten turned to Natsuki, who smiled warmly at her. The Aburame was very soft spoken, and kind, and she had been very caring towards Tenten throughout the pregnancy. Natsuki laughed nervously. "I'm sorry about that- I think she snuck some candy before we left, so she's a little high strung right now."

Tenten waved the concern off. "That's alright, she's a sweetheart! Come outside, I think you'll like the garden."

Natsuki smiled and followed as Tenten led her to the back. The two joined the other women in conversation, something about odd missions they'd gone on. It wasn't long before the back gate opened, and Tsumi and Hana walked into the yard with a puppy on a leash.

"We knew you'd be back here, so we invited ourselves in!" Tsumi laughed loudly, and Tenten could see Mikoto visibly shudder and the less-classy woman. The puppy barked, running around excitedly as Toshio, Katsuro, Sayuri and Shigeru ran over to play with it.

Hana smiled as she embraced Tenten. "It's an Inuzuka tradition to give each child a dog. I know it isn't a ninken, but I figured that this little guy needed a home."

The puppy ran around, jumping up to stand on his hind legs as Tenten pet him. He had long fur, and the coloring resembled a border collie, but with small splotches of tan here and there. His eyebrows were tan, and he had a small nub for a tail. He was sweet, and got along very well with the kids that he was playing with.

Tsumi laughed heartily. "He's pretty kid friendly,and he's house broken, so we figured we'd go ahead and give him to you!" She handed Tenten a large, disassembled kennel with a bag. "We packed everything you'd need, for him, like food and water dishes, a few toys, a leash and a collar. I hope you and the baby enjoy him!"

Tenten smiled "Thank you! I'm sure the baby will love him!"

It was only a few minutes until the doorbell rang yet again. Sakura and her mother were there, wide smiles on their faces. Mebuki hugged Tenten, and began teasing Sakura about her tendency to make them late.

"Mom, do you really have to say that right now?!" Sakura groaned through a clenched jaw.

"Well, it's not my problem that you're always ten minutes late. You know, I think that Kakashi rubbed off on you a little too much in that department!"

Tenten smiled. "Why don't we head into the back? There's food and drinks back there." She winked subtly at Sakura, who mouthed a word of thanks in reply.

The Haruno's went outside, and yet again there was the doorbell's chime. Tenten went up to get it, and Hinata, Hanabi, and Mrs. Hyuga were at the door. Tenten smiled and let them in, hugging them and thanking them for coming.

Hinata had become an especially close friend of Tenten's during the pregnancy, and the other had even helped her with planning the wedding. The Hyuga heiress had spent hours with Tenten, going over swatches for the baby's room, finding wedding venues, baby-proofing the mansion, and even listening patiently as Tenten had mental breakdowns with all of the planning she'd done.

Hanabi, on the other hand, was more interested in finding out how good Neji was in bed, inappropriate as it was for her. Yes, she was technically of age, but that didn't make Tenten anymore comfortable in talking about the matter. Eventually she had moved on to ask about the baby occasionally, which gave Tenten endless relief.

Mrs. Hyuga was becoming a more prominent figure in the baby planning, and was the one that suggested that Tenten attend a birthing class. To be honest, it made the latter a little confused to have Lady Hyuga be so interested in her well-being, but it was nice to have someone else to help her with all of this.

The three Hyuga headed to the back to join the other women, and Tenten hoped that Mikoto wouldn't be upset by their presence. The doorbell rang in that annoyingly familiar way, and Tenten saw none other than Kurenai. Smiling, she stepped aside as the other stepped in, hugging her as she'd done so many times that afternoon.

Kurenai smiled. "I'd normally ask how you're feeling, but I suppose you're getting tired of that question," she joked.

Tenten laughed. "A little. That question, along with are you excited? and have you picked a name yet? were starting to get on my last nerves."

Kurenai gave a small laugh of her own. "I know how that goes. Anyways, did you want me to put this gift anywhere?"

Tenten nodded. "Everything's going in the back, since the theme is 'In the Garden' and all."

Kurenai followed her as the went into the back yard. Tenten smiled a bit in relief when she saw that Mikoto and Lady Hyuga were talking amicably with the other women. Ino came up to her.

"I think everyone's getting a little bored with talking, so why don't we move onto the games?"

Tenten shrugged. "Whatever you and Temari want to do is fine with me."

Ino nodded, walking off and passing out small pieces of paper with blank lines on it. The game was to guess the names of the nursery rhymes, and Yoshino won with a perfect score. There were other games, like 'Name the baby animal,' and one even involved other women trying to guess how large Tenten was with a string. This went on for another two hours or so, before Ino decided that it was time for the gifts.

Tenten turned to the gift table, and picked up the gift nearest to her, which was from Yoshino, Kaori, and Kanako. Unwrapping the box, she pulled out several baby toys, most of which were very old fashioned. There was also a set of baby monitors, with one for the baby's room and about twenty others. There was also a few books, made of cardboard such as Goodnight Moon, The Velveteen Rabbit, and a large book of Dr. Seuss stories. As she held the toys in her hands, Tenten looked up at Yoshino and Kaori. "Where did you guys find these? I've been looking for them for ages!"

Kaori laughed. "They're generally passed on from generation to generation, and some of those are from when Kanako was a baby."

"That's so wonderful!"

Ino was slightly confused. "Remind me again why you wanted these specific ones again?" she muttered to Tenten. Unfortunately for the Yamanaka, Yoshino overheard.

"The old-fashioned toys are better for brain stimulation, because they require more logical thinking than the ones that are made nowadays."

Ino nodded. "Really?! That's awesome!"

Tenten nodded. "Yeah, but unfortunately, they're really hard to find, and when you can catch them in the store, they're ridiculously expensive."

Kaori nodded. "That's why we stick to the ones that we have, and we kind of give them as hand-me-downs if you will."

Tenten picked up another gift, which was in the form of a diaper bag. It was from Kurenai, Anko, Asuma, Kakashi and Gai. It was a prepared diaper bag, with a few newborn sized diapers, pacifiers that could clip to the baby's clothes, a few outfits, and a bottle. Opening the front pocket, Tenten found a gift card for a massage, and hugged Kurenai gratefully.

"Wow, you already packed it and everything!"

Kurenai laughed. "I thought it'd be more useful that way- especially when you're getting ready to take her home for the first time."

Tenten smiled. "I've never thought about it that much, but that makes sense. And thank you for the massage- I'm sure I'll need it!"

Kurenai winked. "Probably."

They laughed, and Tenten went to the next bag she gift was from Kushina, and it was a small fox toy that Naruto had when he was younger. Tenten smiled, as she remembered how Naruto had spoken so nostalgically about the stuffed animal, and how he'd reminisced about half of the Nine-Tails' chakra was sealed inside of him. It was nice to know that he and his family had thought so deeply about their gift.

"This is the one Naruto's always talking about?" she asked.

Kushina nodded. "We found it before the meeting, and I just thought it was the most fitting thing we could give."

Tenten smiled. "It's in such good shape for being in storage for so long!"

Kushina laughed in response. "I had to sew the ears back on- they were barely hanging by a thread!" Everyone else laughed at the situation. When the laughter died down, Kushina became nostalgic. "I know Naruto loved it when he was a baby, and I just hope that the little one gets as much comfort out of it as he did."

There was a small pause, before Tenten hugged Kushina thankfully. "She'll love it, and he'll love that she loves it, if that makes any sense," Tenten whispered.

Kushina pulled back, smiling with teary eyes. "Thank you." She cleared her throat. "Anyways, you still have a ways to go with your presents, so you should probably get back to them."

Tenten nodded, and before she could pick up another gift, Sayuri pushed hers over to Tenten. The latter laughed, opening the bag and finding a display case of butterflies and dragonflies, all beautifully laid out with the species written underneath each bug. The frame was a dark polished wood that matched the nursery's furniture really well, and the back had small hooks to make hanging it up easier.

Sayuri bounced on her toes. "Do you like it?! Do you like it?! Do you like it?! Does baby sister like it?! I liked it, and so did Daddy, and Mummy, and Grandpa, and!-"

Tenten laughed, and cut her off. "It's very pretty, and both baby sister and I like it very much. I'll show you when we hang it up, ok?"

The little girl nodded with intense enthusiasm. Natsuki chuckled as she watched her daughter run off to chase the butterflies in the garden. Tenten smiled and hugged her, "Thank you so much for the gift."

"You're welcome. Thank you for being so wonderful to us throughout this entire process," Natsuki murmured with the utmost sincerity. Tenten nodded as the pulled apart, and turned to receive the next present.

It was from Mrs. Akimichi, Hanako, and Haruna. Tenten unwrapped the box, finding a new food processor with several features. There was also a set of baby spoons, containers for the food, and bowls that had lids. The Akimichi women had also included a book of baby food recipes that were organized by the age of the baby in months, along with detailed lists of different fruits and vegetables and what nutrients they had in them. There were also several handmade bibs, each a different pattern and color.

"This is so nice! Did you really make all of these yourselves?"

Mrs. Akimichi nodded. "Yes, all of the recipes are original."

Tenten's smiled widened. "That's really thoughtful, and the bibs are so cute! Thank you!" she hugged them and continued.

Sakura and her mother had the next gift. There was a collapsible set of organizers for the baby's room, along with a pink first aid kit that included nail clippers and a small brush. At the bottom of the bag was a voucher for an automatic diaper delivery service, which the Haruno's had paid in full for the next thirty deliveries.

"You're life savers- I really needed this stuff!"

Mebuki shrugged. "I think we all know how many diapers babies go through, and the automatic delivery just makes it less of a hassle."

Sakura nodded. "We just kind of figured that these would be things that might be overlooked, you know? And I thought that the organizers would be useful in the nursery."

Tenten smiled in appreciation. "Yeah, they would be." She hugged both of the Haruno's and moved on.

As Tenten came to the next present, she recognized the wrapping paper as belonging to the Hyuga. Carefully unwrapping it, she opened the box. She pulled out a beautiful handmade quilt in soft cream colors, and she noticed that each of the printed squares was of a different design. Every other piece of the quilt was of a soft fabric that made her hands feel rough, and there was even a custom made tag that read 'Stitched with love from Grandma Hyuga, Aunt Hinata, and Aunt Hanabi.' There was a matching towel and hooded bathrobe with adorable little ears at the top. Also included were a few CDs that had classical music and lullabies, that Hanabi had personally picked out herself.

"I love the blanket- it's so beautiful. This must have taken forever!"

Hinata laughed a little. "It only took a few hours, at most."

Tenten shook her head. "a few hours I wouldn't have had the patience for! And I really appreciate the CD's, Hanabi- that's so thoughtful of you!"

Hanabi shrugged. "It's no problem," she said with a slight smile.

Tenten continued to thank the Hyuga immensely, and turned to see Ino handing her the gift from her family.

The wrapping was beautiful, and even a little bit gaudy, with ribbons spilling out from the top. Tenten smiled, opening it and smiling at its contents. There was a small tub for the baby, and inside of it were bottles of shampoo, body wash, lotion, and some bath toys. There was also a small bag of hair clips and bows, and a little brush that was for keepsakes. Tenten also received a bottle of bubble bath for herself, along with scented candles and bath salts. She hugged Ino and her mother gratefully, knowing that she would probably use some of that later in the evening.

She openly voiced this. "Thank you both- I might be tempted to use some of these things later tonight as a matter of fact!"

Mikoto smiled as she handed Tenten the small bag. When Tenten opened it, she gasped. There was a paid for session with a baby photographer, along with a handprint/footprint appointment. Another envelope specifically from Masumi, Itachi, and Toshio was a voucher for baby announcements. Sasuke had included a small note, which was attached to a photo album for the baby's 'firsts.' Tenten was surprised at how sentimental the gifts were in nature, but they were nonetheless appreciated.

"These are so beautiful, thank you!"

Mikoto laughed, and walked over with an elegant stride. "You're welcome, dear! It's tradition to give gifts of sentiment."

Tenten smiled. "Thank you, they're really lovely presents, Lady Uchiha."

She hugged Mikoto and Masumi, and was slightly surprised when Toshio and Katsuro also embraced her.

Just as Tenten thought she was done opening gifts, Temari walked over, pushing a jogging stroller with a matching car seat. She was further surprised that it was the one she had been eyeing in the baby store three days prior. Though she didn't exactly say that she'd wanted that one specifically, Temari had picked up on her cues and bought it without her knowledge. As she hugged Temari and peered inside, she saw that her friend had packed several teething rings and toys to the handle, and there was even a small blanket and a jacket.

"How did you know?!" she asked.

Temari scoffed. "We've been friends for thirteen years- how could I not know? Also, look at the bottom basket."

Tenten did as she was told, and sure enough, there was a bag full of baby clothes. The best part was that they were all different sizes, and the winter coats would be the perfect size for the baby. There were several little pairs of shoes, again in different sizes and styles.

Tenten hugged Temari as tightly as she could. "Oh, they're all so perfect! Thank you so much- I love them all!"

Ino inspected the clothes, and showed everyone the adorable winter boots with faux fur lining, along with several of the poofy dresses. The women all fawned over the items, commenting on how adorable they all were, and pointing out the sweet little details on all of them.

Tenten turned to everyone. "I'd like to thank you all for the wonderful gifts, and for coming tonight. It's really meant a lot to both myself and everyone involved that you've all been so supportive throughout my pregnancy, and we all really appreciate it." There was a collective applause, and Tenten cut the cake.

* * *

As the women were at the baby shower, the men were at the bar, getting more than tipsy. Even though there was still a significant amount of tension between the Hyuga and the Uchiha, Fugaku and Hiashi sat at the same table, smoking cigars and drinking beerwhile they had a conversation about village politics and the like.

Itachi, Shisui, and Sasuke were leaning against the bar, talking amongst themselves. Sasuke was more interested in smoking a cigarette at this point, after having finished a few beers. Shisui turned to his younger cousin. "So you're having a girl, huh? How's that going for you?"

Sasuke shrugged, taking the smoke out of his mouth after a long drag. "It's the same as it was before Katsuro was born, I guess. Dealing with the others is annoying, but I don't have to do it all the time like I did with Satomi."

Itachi furrowed his eyebrows at her name, still perplexed that she had simply disappeared. Shaking away the thought, he turned to his brother. "Have you all agreed on the name yet?"

Sasuke scoffed. "Nowhere near. Everyone's being so stubborn, and the arguments always seem to circle around in the same way. I'm about ready to throw the towel in, to be honest."

Itachi chuckled. "What name did you suggest?"

"I thought Kimiko would be appropriate, seeing as how the kid will be spoiled as if she were noble."

Shisui nodded. "I like it. What are the other contenders?"

Sasuke thought for a minute. "Tenten really likes Ayano, Naruto insists on Emiko... I can't remember who suggested Noriko, and I think Ino wants Manami to win. There's also been talk of Hikari and Yukari, neither of which I'm a fan of."

Itachi nodded. "If you had to pick a name other than Kimiko, what would it be?"

Sasuke took another drag, finishing off his cigarette. "Hmm, maybe Ayano or Emiko. Either way, if I hate her name, I'll just give the kid a nickname and leave it at that."

At that point, Kakashi walked over to Sasuke, and Itachi and Shisui left. Kakashi spoke. "Hope I'm not interrupting anything, but I just wanted to congratulate you once again. I heard from Naruto about the name situation."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I was just explaining that to Itachi and Shisui. The way I see it, it'll probably come down to Ayano, Emiko, and Hikari, and I'm not that big a fan of any of those."

"Ah, I see. Which was the name you suggested?"

Sasuke shrugged, attempting to look indifferent. "I thought Kimiko was fine, but it seems that no one else agrees with me."

Kakashi smiled behind his mask, knowing that Sasuke was a very sore loser. He also knew that his former student felt he was inherently correct all of the time, and that having his name suggestion shot down did not bode well with the Uchiha. Still, Kakashi did like the name Sasuke suggested.

"I'm sure you'll all come to an agreement somehow. Anyways, are you excited to be having a girl this time?"

Sasuke shrugged. "I think my mother is more excited than I am. Itachi as well. I really don care what gender the child is, so long as it's healthy."

Kakashi was a little shocked to hear that. To be honest, he had expected Sasuke to say that he wanted another son, bruit was a pleasant surprise. Reaching into his jacket, Kakashi pulled out a small present and handed it to Sasuke.

"I'm sure you've already received several cigars, and I know you like smoking, so think of this as a complement to those gifts."

Sasuke accepted the small package with a raised brow. Opening it, she saw a light pink ashtray, with the outside edge bearing the words 'It's a Girl!' Sasuke smiled a bit, looking at his former teacher. "Thanks. It's a nice gift."

Kakashi smiled behind his mask. "I knew you'd like it. Congratulations." With that, Kakashi turned to go talk to Naruto, who was with his father along with Neji, Gai, and Lee.

Naruto continued to talk, unaware that his Sensei had also joined. "And I swear, it was soooo huge! I didn't even know that women could do that!-"

The surrounding men burst into laughter, and Naruto finally took notice of Kakashi's presence. "Hey! Hey! Kakashi Sensei! I was just talking about that mission to the Land of Ogres. Do you remember the shopkeeper that we ran into?! The lady with the huge-"

"Oh, her? Yeah, I remember. What of it?"

"Remember when she had to take out that one box from the back?"

Kakashi laughed. "Is that what you were talking about?"

Naruto started laughing again, the alcohol dusting his cheeks with a slight blush. "Yeah. And then, when she ran into Sasuke! Remember his face?!"

Kakashi laughed even harder. "He'd never been as facially expressive as he was then, that's for sure!"

Naruto cackled. "You think he ever told his family?"

Kakashi shrugged. "I don't know, but I came to give you something."

Naruto perked up at the mention of a gift. "Really?!"

Kakashi nodded, pulling a small package out from his pocket. He handed it to Naruto, who ripped the package open, and looked up in shock when he saw what was inside. Naruto looked over to his Sensei, a broad smile on his face.

"How did you know?!"

Kakashi winked. "I'm a Dad, so lets just call it paternal instincts?"

Naruto hugged him. "Thanks, it won't go to waste!"

They separated quickly, due to the misconception that hugging wasn't manly. Kakashi rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "Anyways, I've got to get going here, but I just wanted to say congratulations yet again. Enjoy the gift!"

Naruto gave a small wave. "Thanks! Have a nice night!"

Kakashi gave him a small salute and disappeared with a small puff of smoke. Minato went over to his son, and admired the gift. "Wow, that's a nice one."

Naruto nodded and showed it to the surrounding men. Neji picked it up, and admired it. "Indeed it is." He placed the item back into its box.

Gai smirked, and gave Naruto a thumbs and along with his 'good guy' smile. "Such a gift captures the power of youth surprisingly well for Kakashi! I'd expect nothing less from my eternal rival!"

"Indeed, Gai Sensei! I cannot wait to see what you do with it, Naruto." Lee mimicked his teacher, and Minato and Neji had exasperated expressions adorning their faces.

Naruto, on the other hand, gave his signature cheeky smile. "I can't wait for the little girl to be here, just so I can use it!"

Minato gave a small chuckle, placing his hand on his son's shoulder. "It won't be long, son."

On the other side of the room, the Ino-Shika-Cho men plus Asuma sat at a table with a bottle of sake being passed around. Asuma and Shikamaru were smoking, while Inoichi and Shikaku had consumed far too much alcohol while watching Shikamaru and Asuma play Shogi.

Shikamaru had Asuma cornered, and the latter knew it. There was no way for him to get out of this, and he reluctantly admitted that his student had beat him yet again. He smirked as he looked up to his student. "So, another girl, huh? How's that going for the two of you?"

Shikamaru shrugged, waiting for Asuma to make a move. "The same it went when Kanako was on the way, I guess. There're just more troublesome people to deal with."

"I'm excited, and Haruna is too. She's excited to be an older sister."

"I think Kanako is just excited to be the boss of someone. This poor kid is in for it."

Asuma laughed. "That sounds about right for the two of them. How's Ino?"

Inoichi interjected. "She's doing well, from what I understand."

Asuma nodded, and turned to Shikamaru, who shrugged again. "Yeah, I'd say that's about right. She's pretty excited for the baby, and she's been helping Tenten out a lot. The only problem is that she won't stop fighting with Sakura all the time. It's a drag, and Tenten's always yelling at them for it."

Choji laughed. "For supposedly being best friends, they sure tend to fight a lot."

Rolling his eyes, Shikamaru captured Asuma's pawn. "Yeah, I'm just glad our girls don't go at it."

Choji nodded. "If they ever got into a fight, I'd be pretty surprised."

"Yeah, me too, I guess. Oh, and I've won again, Sensei."

True to his word, Shikamaru had indeed won again, and Asuma placed the agreed wager on the table. He laughed, and pulled out two small packaged wrapped in butcher paper, handing one to both of his former students. "Before I lose any more money to Shikamaru, I want to give you guys these. Kind of cliché, I know, but it's something nonetheless."

The two opened their gifts, and Shikamaru smirked at the pink cigar. "Thanks. Wonder how much Ino will yell at me for smoking it."

Asuma laughed a bit. "Next time she gets on your case for lighting up, tell her that Sasuke does it, too. That'll get her off your back."

The men laughed at that, all of them knowing how true that was. Lighting another cigarette, Shikamaru thought about how in three weeks time, he'd have another daughter. Sighing, he also realized he'd have another two years of sleepless nights. Oh, joy.

* * *

Temari placed the baby's bath supplies in the nursery closet, watching as Tenten placed the blanket from Hinata over the edge of the crib. She smiled and walked over to Tenten, glancing down at the inside of the crib. The flowery sheets and crib lining were already in place, and a mobile spun gently overhead, pushed by the flow of air from the A/C.

Tenten placed a hand on her stomach. "I can't believe it's almost time. She'll be here in three weeks or less. It's just so crazy, you know?"

Temari nodded, "I know. I'm really happy that Gaara gave me indefinite leave for this, what, with all of the ANBU killings and all."

Tenten's eyebrows furrowed. "Yeah... Come to think of it, all of that started around the same time I became pregnant. You don't think the Akatsuki knows about this, do you?"

Temari saw the panic in her eyes, and while she wanted to be reassuring, she also had to be honest. "I can't say for sure, but you have no reason to worry. There are too many clans invested in you and the baby, and you'll both be very well protected. Just relax, and focus on keeping yourself as healthy as possible, alright?"

Tenten nodded a little, still apprehensive. Temari sighed, and tried to think of another topic for conversation. "Anyways, have you guys narrowed down the list of names?"

Tenten shook her head. "Not really. So far, there are four that are kind of popular, but everyone is kind of sticking to their own suggestions."

Temari scoffed. "What a shocker. What are the top four?"

"Ayano, Emiko, Hikari, and Yukari. I personally like Ayano and Hikari the best, but everyone seems so divided on it, you know? I just feel like we're gonna end up calling her 'whatshername.'"

Temari smirked. "I think I have a way to find the name, but for now, you should get some rest."

Tenten nodded. "Are you sure you want to stay at the inn tonight? We have a few guest bedrooms upstairs, you know."

Temari smirked. "You just want me to stay, don't you?"

Tenten shrugged. "Maybe just a little."

Laughing, Temari agreed, and left to sign herself out of the inn and bring her bags.

Tenten changed into her nightgown, sitting down on the couch with the list of names. She had personally suggested Ayano, and felt that it had some originality to it. The others seemed to like it alright, but they were pretty adamant on their own suggestions. Tenten sighed, and moved downtime list.

Emiko had been Naruto's suggestion, and it was an adorable name. It had grown on the majority of the soon to be parents, and the meaning- 'blessed child'- would be fairly accurate. The sound of it was sweet, and Tenten really liked the name, but she felt that it was overdone, kind of like the English name 'Emily.' There was probably at least one Emiko per clan, and Tenten felt that her baby was too special to be lost in a sea of normality.

Shikamaru, Choji, and Sakura had all agreed on the name Harumi, which had angered Ino. As she pondered the name, Tenten felt that it didn't quite go with the last name 'Takahashi'- the random last name chosen to protect the child's identity. The meaning didn't quite match the season that the baby was born in- a girl born in summer shouldn't bear a name that means 'beautiful spring'!

The next suggestion was from Neji- Hikari. It was a beautiful name, but there was the insinuation that it was 'too Hyuga' from Sasuke. Tenten had to admit, the fact that it had to do with light, and that it started with an 'H' was traditional to the Hyuga, but she liked the name a lot, and it was her second pick behind Ayano.

Sasuke had suggested Kimiko, and nobody seemed to agree with his choice. Tenten felt that there was something wrong about naming the baby 'noble child', and it just didn't sound like it could belong to a little girl. The name reminded Tenten of a grumpy old aristocratic lady, not of the sweet, happy child that she was about to have.

Manami was Ino's suggestion, one that, like Kimiko, was low in popularity. To be honest, it sounded rather bland to Tenten, and she wasn't sure that it fit her mental image of the baby. The meaning of it, beautiful and loving, was perfect for the baby girl, but the way it was put into phonetics just didn't so it for her. Tenten also didn't much like names that started with M, since it just felt awkward for her to start a word with the sound.

The second to last suggestion was from Shino- Noriko. Tenten didn't know if he was being sarcastic about the fact that the baby existed because of the law, or if he actually liked the name. Nevertheless, Tenten hated it. She didn't even know why anyone except for the Feudal Lord and his family would ever even consider the name. Why would a parent want to publically announce the lawfulness of his or her daughter? It just didn't seem right. Fortunately, this name was also low in terms of popularity, for which Tenten was grateful.

Kiba had the last suggestion, Yukari. It was a pretty name, and it matched well with 'Takahashi.' Tenten thought it was a cute name, and it matched well with the sweet image of her daughter. She thought about it, her beautiful little pear tree, and giggled a little but at the name. While most of the others were strongly advocating for their own suggestions, Yukari was a definite contender, and was the only rival of Emiko.

Tenten stared at the list for a while, frustrated on what to do. The puppy that the Inuzukas had given her jumped onto the couch, standing on her thighs as he licked her face and wagged his nub of a tail. Tenten laughed, scratching behind his fluffy ears and was amazed at how soft his fur was. It wasn't long before the door opened, and the men came bustling in rather loudly. Tenten turned around, annoyed with their raunchy drunken behavior, and threw a pillow at the group.

"What is wrong with you morons- can't you see that I'm thinking?!" The puppy barked at the intruders, bouncing up as he did so.

Shikamaru glared at him. "What's with the mutt?"

Tenten glared back. "For your information, he was a gift from Kiba's family, and he's a purebred Australian Shepherd."

Sasuke glared at Kiba. "You just had to get a dog, didn't you, Inuzuka? Did you think about how expensive those things are?"

Kiba grabbed Sasuke's collar. "What does it matter? If Tenten says he can stay, he can stay, right Tenten?!"

She got up, separating the two. "That's enough, you two! Sasuke, the dog stays, and Kiba, ignore him, he's just being an ass on purpose."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "We'll aren't you just a ray of sunshine yourself?"

Tenten was about to smack him, before Ino and Sakura came running down the stairs. "What the hell is wrong with you guys?!" Ino asked with a flustered look on her face. She rushed over to Tenten. "You should probably be in bed by now, anyways."

Tenten smacked her hand away. "Don't you fucking treat me like a child, you bitch!"

Ino held her hands up in surrender. "Ok, fine. Whatever. But really, what was all that shouting for?"

Tenten shook her head. "Just forget about it, ok?" She turned to the rest of the men and scrunched up her nose. "All of you need to take a shower- you reek of alcohol and cigarettes."

Not wanting to push the envelope any more than they already had, all of them went upstairs with the exception of Neji. He stayed, and started to rub Tenten's shoulders. "Did everything go over well at the shower?"

Tenten nodded. "Yeah. You should see all of the stuff we have now, or more accurately, that the baby has now."

He made a noise of acknowledgement, leaning down to kiss the top of her head. "I'll take a look in the morning, but right now, I think we should head to bed."

Tenten reached up and cupped his face. "I'll join you in a little bit, I'm waiting for Temari to come back."

"She's spending the night?"

"No, she's staying until after the baby comes. I really need her here," Tenten mumbled.

Neji hugged her, kissing her cheek and heading towards their bedroom. At the base of the stairs, he turned. "Where's the puppy going to sleep?"

Tenten shrugged. "I figured that Snow won't mind him, so take him up to our room. I just let him out a few minutes ago, so he should be fine for the rest of the night."

Neji nodded, and picked up the fluffy puppy, who licked his face as they went upstairs. Tenten giggled at the scene, and went back to the list of names as she sat on the couch. Temari arrived ten minutes later, and after Tenten showed her the room, they both headed to bed.

* * *

It was a week later, and everyone sat in the living room arguing, as had become the usual over the past month. Tenten put her head in her hands- why was picking a name becoming so stressful?! From the original list, they had collectively eliminated Kimiko, Noriko, and Harumi, and there were now five names left. Temari saw the stress on Tenten's face, and walked to the front of the room. If anyone could take charge of the situation, it was definitely Temari.

"WILL ALL OF YOU JUST SHUT THE HELL UP AND STOP YELLING FOR A SECOND?!"

Silence. Temari smirked to herself, and continued. "Alright, so we have five names left. Lets take a vote. The way this will work is that you'll each take a piece of paper, and write down your top three choices, none of which can be your original suggestion. You cannot vote for the same name more than once, and you have to put down three names. I will then tally up the votes, and the name with the most votes wins. If it comes down to a tie, I will flip a coin. There are no ifs, ands, or buts about this. Got it?"

Everyone nodded. "Oh, and write your name on your paper so that I know you're not cheating."

The room was quiet, except for the light scratching of pens on paper. It only took a few minutes for everyone to finish, and Temari gathered up the papers and went into the kitchen. No one dared to speak or move, and the anticipation smothered the room. It took a few minutes for Temari to come back. She had a smile on her face.

"It's official- Yukari wins."

Kiba stood up, bragging about how it had been his choice, and generally annoying everyone with the level of cockiness he was displaying. Shino hit him upside the head, and Tenten smiled.

"Yukari sounds perfect for her." Everyone turned to look at her, seeing that she had placed a hand on her stomach, and was rubbing it affectionately.

Naruto smiled. "Yeah, it kind of is. So what about the middle name? Which one came in second place?"

Temari shook her head, a smile on her face. "You'll be happy to know that the second place is Emiko."

Tenten stood. "Thank you for helping us out, Temari. It's been really helpful, and now the baby won't be called 'whatshername' for the rest of her life."

Temari smirked. "No problem."

* * *

Tenten woke up to a sharp pain in her abdomen, and shot up in bed, groaning in pain. She clutched her stomach in sheer agony, barely hearing Neji's concern as he asked what had happened.

She gasped. "I don't know, but I think I just had a contraction."

Neji hurried out of the room, returning with Sakura and Ino. The latter approached Tenten. "What did it feel like?"

"Like... I had the worst cramp of my life. It's faded, but it still hurts really badly."

Sakura nodded. "That definitely sounds like a contraction, but I can't tell if she's having Braxton Hicks contractions. We'll need to wait and see if they become longer and more painful."

Tenten groaned. "You mean I have to deal with this all day?!"

Sakura shrugged. "Maybe. If they're just kind of the same each time you have one, you're not going into labor. You should probably just stay in bed today."

Tenten glared at the other woman. "You're a fucking doctor, can't you just tell if I'm in labor or not?!"

Sakura glared back at her. "No, not even Tsunade would be able to tell. Besides, the baby's about nine days early, so it's more than likely a false alarm."

Tenten's patience was gone, but before she could strangle the pink-haired woman in front of her, Ino placed a hand on her shoulder. "It'll be fine, everyone's going to take care of you, alright? Just try to take your mind off of it for a while, and see if that helps. Do you want me to bring you something to eat?"

Tenten shook her head. "No. I just want to be left alone right now."

Ino and Sakura nodded, leaving the room. Neji held Tenten's hand. "Do you want me to leave as well?"

She sighed. "No, I want you to talk to the baby, she likes you."

He nodded, and placed his ear on her stomach as he began to ramble to the baby about how much he wanted to see her, and how much he loved her, and how beautiful she was going to be. As the baby listened to his voice, she began to kick rhythmically to his words, and this only increased until Tenten felt another contraction.

She panted as the pain seared through her, harder than she'd ever felt before. Neji stepped away, and the commotion caused Sasuke to walk into the room.

"Is everything ok in here?" he asked, until he saw Tenten holding her stomach in pain. He glared at Neji. "She's not in labor, is she?"

Neji shook his head. "Sakura said we need to wait for the contractions to get longer and more painful, just to make sure it's not a false alarm."

"It sure as hell doesn't feel like a false alarm!" Tenten shouted in pain, and moments later Naruto and Kiba ran into the room.

Naruto freaked out. "Oh my God, she's in labor! What are we going to do, Kiba?! She's having the baby right now! Call Tsunade and get her-"

Sasuke slapped him. "Calm down. The baby won't be here for a few hours, at the earliest." He turned to Neji. "How long have the contractions been going on?"

Neji furrowed his eyebrows. "About five hours, but Sakura said that they were most likely Braxton Hicks contractions, since the due date is still a ways away."

Without warning, Sasuke lifted Tenten's nightgown and peered underneath. Neji was pissed off. "Just what the hell do you think you're doing?! You're not even a doctor!"

Sasuke shrugged. "Don't have to be to know that she's dilated a few centimeters. We should get her to the hospital."

Neji glanced, and Sasuke was right. He scowled. Just because Sasuke had seen a woman go into labor before didn't make him a goddamned expert. "I say we wait until Sakura says it's ok."

Naruto walked over. "Let me take a loo-"

"Will everyone stop looking at my vagina and fucking call Tsunade!"

Naruto ran out of the room, and did just that. Apparently, Ino and Sakura had left the house to pick up a few groceries. As he ran down the stairs, he kept shouting "Tenten's in labor! Tenten's in labor! Tenten's in labor!" and made everyone rush up to the latter's room in worry.

Shikamaru looked at the scene in the bedroom before him, shaking his head in grief. "What a drag, it looks like Naruto was right. Where's Sakura when you need her?"

"Will everyone just get the hell out of my room!" Tenten screeched in anger.

Sasuke glared at her. "No. This isn't just your baby, so you don't have the right to be selfish."

Kiba growled. "Give her a break, Sasuke! God, she's in a shit ton of pain right now."

Shino glared at the two of them. "I say we wait for Tsunade's response, and that we give Tenten some time to herself."

"Finally! Someone fucking gets it! Where the hell is Temari?!"

Choji spoke up nervously. "She went with Sakura and Ino to pick up some groceries. they should be back soon. Just take a deep-"

"Don't tell me what to fucking do!"

Neji sighed. "Everyone, get out. She need to rest, and you're all stressing her out." He turned to Tenten, "Do you want me to stay?"

Sasuke sneered. "Not so fast, Romeo. If we leave, so do you."

Neji glared. "I'm her fiance, and it's my child."

"In case you're forgetting, it's our child. Besides, you don't know how to comfort a woman in labor."

"I was doing a hell of a lot better than you are now!"

Naruto ran into the room. "Tsunade said that everyone needs to leave Tenten alone, and that she'll be here in ten minutes!"

Sasuke smirked viciously at Neji, who glared back at him. Nonetheless, everyone left the room.

When Tsunade arrived, she and Shizune went straight upstairs with a small bag of medical equipment. She didn't even knock when she came up to the door, she simply burst in. Seeing a slightly pale and sweaty Tenten, she hurried over to the latter's bedside. Smiling slightly, she asked "How are you feeling, kiddo?"

"This is the worst I've ever felt. Please tell me that this isn't a false alarm- I need to have this baby now!"

Tsunade sighed. "Tell me about your contractions. Are they getting longer and more painful?"

"God, yes!"

"How long is the time between each contraction?"

"I don't know, but I can feel one starting right now!"

Tsunade nodded, looking at her wrist watch to monitor the length of the contraction. Two and a half minutes later, it was over, and Tenten was sobbing. Shizune place a wet towel on her head to try to calm her down. Tsunade went and checked Tenten's dilation, and it was about five centimeters. She looked over at Shizune.

"She's about five centimeters dilated with contractions over two minutes. Go tell Neji to prepare a car for her."

Shizune nodded and went downstairs. Luckily for her, Neji was the first person she ran into. "Lady Tsunade says to go prepare a car for her."

His eyes widened. "Is she really that far into labor?!"

"Yes, so get to it!"

The rest of the men in the room had varying reactions. Naruto and Kiba were panicking, Shikamaru and Shino were exasperated, Sasuke had an 'I-told-you-so' expression pointed towards Neji, and Choji was attempting to keep the peace in the room.

In Tenten's room, Tsunade was helping her to stand. She supported Tenten heavily, and they started to make their way down the stairs. Shizune arrived, and helped to get Tenten down the stairs much more quickly. They placed Tenten in the car, and raced to the hospital.

Shikamaru groaned. "So what do you guys think, should we follow them or wait awhile?"

Shino shrugged. "I think that it might be best to follow them, but let's hold off on telling our clans until she's closer to active labor."

Shikamaru nodded. "Alright then, let's get going."

They were able to squeeze themselves into two cars, and on the way to the hospital, Shikamaru called Ino. He waited impatiently as the phone rang, and when he was about to hang up, he heard her answer.

"Hey! How's everything going with Tenten?"

"She's progressed really quickly; we're headed to the hospital as we speak."

Ino just about dropped her phone in shock. "Are you serious?!"

"Yeah, I am, so you three better get to the hospital as quickly as you can." He hung up, and Ino stared at her phone as reality sunk in.

Sakura was the first to speak. "What is it? What's wrong?"

Ino turned to her. "Tenten has been sent to the hospital, I think she's in labor!" She turned and ran out of the store, with Temari and Sakura hot on her heels.

Temari broke the silence. "Do you think she's ok?"

Ino nodded. "She's probably in a lot of pain right now, but she'll be fine as long as nobody starts stressing her out." She gave Sakura a pointed look.

The latter growled. "What the hell was that for?!"

"I can't believe you thought it was a false alarm! You didn't even ask her any questions!"

"Well, what would you have assumed?! The baby's here nine days early, and Braxton Hicks contractions are very common!"

"Will the two of you just shut up?!" Temari growled. They ran into the room that they had been shown a few days ago. It was the only birthing room in the hospital with a side room for viewing, and it had been prepared for them considering the circumstances. As they arrived, they saw that none of the clans had shown up yet, meaning Tenten hadn't dilated all too much.

Ino rushed over to Tenten's side. "Hey, are they getting worse?"

Tenten nodded miserably. "Yes, and I'm about seven minutes apart, but they're lasting three minutes each. God, I want an epidural!"

Sasuke walked over. "No, you don't, they make labor harder and you can permanently ruin your spine."

Ino nodded. "Sasuke's right, they're just bad news. You'll be fine, just remember the breathing they showed you in birthing class."

"To Hell with that bullshit! I just need this kid to pop out already!"

Tsunade walked in. She bent down to check Tenten's dilation. "You're about five and a half centimeters. Do you want to call your parents?"

Tenten nodded weakly, as Sasuke turned to Tsunade. "So does that mean that the clans may arrive as well?"

Tsunade shook her head. "Don't ask me, ask Tenten."

Sasuke turned to her with an eyebrow raised and a questioning glance on his face. She thought about it for a minute. "I kind of want to spend some time with my parents before the clans, if that's alright."

Sasuke shrugged. "Whatever. I'll be back in a minute."

Shikamaru sighed. "It looks like we're going to be here for some time, so I'm gonna leave, too."

Choji nodded. "I'm going to the food court. Do you want anything, Tenten?"

She shook her head, and slowly the room filtered out until only Neji, Sakura, Ino, and Temari were left. Tenten handed Neji her phone and unlocked the screen. She pulled up her mom's contact information, "Call my mom and tell her to come over with my dad." He nodded, and stepped out of the room to make the phone call.

The phone rang four times, and Neji's nerves grew worse with each ring. Finally, she answered. "Hello sweetie, how's everything?"

Neji stuttered. "Uhm, this is actually Neji, ma'am."

She laughed. "Oh, Neji, how are you?! How's Tenten?"

"We're doing fine. Actually, we're at the hospital right now, and Tenten is dilated five and a half centimeters."

There was a commotion on the other line, as Tenten's parents were yelling at each other. Neji groaned to himself- how could Tenten's neurotic parents possibly put her at ease?! Her mom got back on the line. "Who else is there?"

"Just the parents of the baby and Temari."

"None of the clans have been called yet?"

"No, no at this point."

There was a relieved sigh. "Can I talk to Tenten?"

"Yes, just a moment." Neji walked into the room again, holding the phone out to Tenten. She took it hesitantly.

"Hey Mom. Did Neji tell you?"

"Yes, he did. Are you feeling ok, sweetie? Do you want me to bring you anything?"

"I'm in so much pain, and nobody will let me have an epidural! I just really want a strawberry shake and some Chinese food."

"Ok, well, your father and I are on our way, and we'll make sure to bring that. Is there any specific kind of Chinese food that you want?"

"I want lo mein, orange chicken, and egg drop soup with egg rolls and crab puffs."

"Alright, sweetie, I'll see you in a little bit, alright?"

"Ok. Thanks, Mom."

"You're welcome, sweetie. I love you!"

"Love you too!"

"Before you hang up, I want to speak to Temari."

"Oh, ok, just a minute." She held out the phone for Temari, who took it with a questioning look and stepped out of the room.

"Hello?"

"Hello Temari, I just want to talk to someone I trust about Tenten's delivery."

"Ok, what is it?"

"I just want to know how long it's been going on, and how dilated she is."

"What Neji told you was true, she's five and a half, and this has been going on since about, seven thirty this morning?" She looked over to Ino, who nodded in the affirmative.

"Ok, thank you. And one more thing-if any of the clans arrive before I do, and Tenten wants an epidural, let her have it, please."

"Alright, I'll see what I can do."

"Thank you, Temari. I'll be there in a little while."

"Ok, see you then." Temari slid the bar on the screen, ending the call. Sighing, she walked back into the room and handed Tenten her phone.

"What did my mom want?"

Temari shrugged. "She just wanted to see how you were doing."

"Oh."

Naruto came into the room, a parade of balloons in his hand. "Look what I saw in the gift shop! I know I'm not the best caretaker, and I really haven't done this before, but I figured they'd make you feel motivated again, ya know? Also," he reached into his jacket and pulled out a camera with a nice lens. "Kakashi Sensei gave me this, so when the baby's here, I can get some pretty nice pictures of you and her, you know? Like to use on the announcements and that stuff!"

Tenten smiled. "Thanks, Naruto, that's really sweet of you."

Naruto pulled something else out of his pocket. "I also brought this little guy with me." It was the fox toy. "I had it when I was first born, and I'd kind of like the baby to have it with her too, ya know?"

Tenten smiled. "I'll make sure that she does."

Another contraction came, and Tenten gripped the sides of the bed in absolute agony. Sakura went over to her side with a cold towel, which she put on her forehead. When it passed, Sakura spoke. "I'm really sorry about earlier, Tenten, I thought it was going to be a false alarm."

Tenten waved the concern away. "It's fine, I just really want an epidural right now."

Ino took her hand. "You'll be alright, just squeeze my hand whenever you have a contraction, and breathe out the way they taught you in birthing class." She picked up the remote on the bedside table and turned on the tv. They flicked through the channels, eventually settling on a movie.

About fifteen minutes passed before Tenten's parents arrived. Her mom ran over to her, a bag of Chinese take out in one hand and a large strawberry shake in the other. "Hey sweetie! How are you feeling?!"

Tenten sighed, "Tired, and hungry. Thanks for bringing that."

Her mom smiled and handed her the food. "Of course!"

Her dad walked over, giving her a tight hug and handing her a small pink bear holding a heart that said 'It's A Girl!'. "So today's the day, huh?"

Tenten groaned. "God I hope so! I could bear another day of this!"

Her mom checked her phone. "It's about four in the afternoon right now, and you're about five centimeters along?"

Tenten nodded, and threw her head back in misery. "This has been going on for eight and a half hours, why can't it end already?!"

Her mom pat her leg. "The baby will be here when she's ready. So what name did you guys finally decide on?"

Tenten smiled. "Yukari, and her middle name will be Emiko."

"Aw, that sounds so precious! What was the last name, again?"

"Takahashi."

"Yukari Emiko Takahashi," her father said. "It has a nice ring to it."

Her mom nodded. They all sat in silence watching some odd science fiction film for another hour until Tsunade arrived. She smiled at Tenten's parents. "It's nice to see you guys here," she said as she shook their hands. Turning to Tenten, she went and checked the dilation. "It looks like you're still at five and a half centimeters." She left the room.

"This is awful! I might as well start letting the clans come see me, that way they don't start complaining that they didn't get the opportunity later on."

Her mother raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure that's what you want to do? From what I remember from the baby shower, they're all rather..."

"Forceful?" Tenten suggested.

"Yes, if you want to be politically correct."

Tenten sighed. "We might as well get used to them- they're going to be in this baby's life just as much as we are. Maybe they won't be so bad today?"

Her mother scoffed. "Tenten, your father and I have been dealing with them ever since we inherited your grandfather's forge. They're still involved with their archaic traditions, and they look down on anyone who isn't born into a clan."

Tenten looked down, knowing it was all true. But there had to be some ray of hope, right? Maybe they'd get better because of the baby? Not all of the great ninja in the village came from prestigious clans. The most prominent example being the Hokage himself, and his former student Kakashi had also become well-known in many villages. Her own sensei was incredible and revered for his prowess in taijutsu, and Rock Lee was well on his way to establishing himself in the shinobi world. Even Temari, Kankuro, and Gaara weren't from a clan, and they had all become jonin early on- and Gaara was even the Kazekage! Surely, surely there was some hope with this whole situation...?

"I think that all of that could change," she murmured, and Ino smiled and squeezed her hand.

"As far as the Yamanaka clan is concerned, yes, it will," she said, and Tenten squeezed back.

The door opened, with Shikamaru, Kiba, and Choji walking in. Shikamaru gave Tenten a wide grin. "How's it going?"

She groaned. "Slow as hell! Seriously, I thought she'd have been out by now!"

Choji laughed. "I guess this baby's going to be a stubborn one, huh?"

Kiba rolled his eyes. "Not under my watch."

Shikamaru smirked. "Yeah, I said the same thing, and look at Kanako. She's so troublesome, and this poor kid's going to have the bossiest older sister in history!"

Sasuke entered the room, and everyone stopped talking. Sakura sighed, "Sasuke, you smell like a cigarette, and secondhand smoke is-"

"I know," he glared at her, then turned to Tenten. "So when did you want to call the clans in? my mother has been incessantly texting me all day."

Tenten sighed. "I'm going to have the clans and parents called in one at a time in a random order. But I feel like we're missing someone?"

Kiba looked around. "Has anyone seen Shino?"

"I've been here the entire time," a voice said from the corner, and Kiba caught the gloomy look on his face.

"Oh, hey there buddy! So, did you hear all of that?"

"No," Shino replied sarcastically, though no one knew. Still, everyone went back to ignoring him and he muttered, "I hope this baby doesn't ignore me, too."

The group of soon-to-be-parents huddled around as Tenten picked a family name out of a hat. She smiled and looked over to Naruto. "Call your parents- they're the first on the list!"

Naruto grinned in an impossibly wide way. "You've got it!" He ran out of the room to go call his parents, and the rest of the room looked at Tenten expectantly.

"Let me guess- I have to keep drawing until everyone's parents have been picked?"

Ino laughed nervously, "Well, yeah, we were kind of thinking that."

Tenten rolled her eyes, "Fine." She pulled out names one by one until every family had been accounted for. It was only ten minutes later that the Hokage himself came into the room, with the most excited expression they'd ever seen on his face.

Minato looked over to Tenten, giving her a bright smile. "How are you?"

Tenten shrugged. "I've been a lot better, that's for sure."

He laughed, sitting in the chair next to her. "Yeah, but you'll be fine. Kushina will be here in a little bit- she has to finish something."

"Not anymore I don't!" Kushina burst into the room, kicking her husband out of his chair. She turned to Tenten. "It's finally happening, isn't it?! Are you ready?!"

Tenten sighed. "Yes, I just want this all to be over right now! The contractions are killing me!"

Kushina raised an eyebrow. "Have you had an epidural yet?"

Tenten pouted. "Nobody will let me have one, it's 'against clan protocol' or some bull like that. I just want this to be over!"

Kushina held her hand, "I know." She turned to Naruto. "And what about you, are you prepared for this?"

He gave her a cheeky grin. "Yeah, I'm going to be in here with Tenten, and look at the camera lens that Kakashi Sensei gave me!"

He handed her the camera, and she smiled. "It's a nice one, that's for sure! Anyways, I'm going to let the others talk to you guys, but I'll see you soon!" Minato waved politely as he left with his looked as stern as ever, and Hanabi had a devious smirk on her face. She turned to Tenten, "You look like you're in so much pain- glad I'm not in that situation!"

Hiashi turned to his daughter, "Now isn't the time for that." He shifted his gaze to Tenten, "So how long have you been in labor?"

Neji glanced at the clock; it was five fifteen in the evening. "Since seven thirty this morning, so about ten hours."

Hiashi raised an eyebrow. "That long? Are there any complications?" While his voice didn't give it away whatsoever, he was concerned.

Tenten shook her head. "No, not that I'm aware, it just hurts so much."

Hiashi nodded. "That's to be expected." His face became very serious, "Though you are not a Hyuga, you are carrying a child with Hyuga blood, and therefore must behave as if you were part of the clan." Neji grimaced- what was his uncle getting at? "Therefore, I will say this- there will be no epidurals as far as active labor goes. Is that understood?" He gave Tenten a pointed look.

That was just about the last sentence she'd wanted to hear. Would her body ever recover from a natural birth? good God, she couldn't even handle the contractions, and from what she'd heard, crowning was even worse. Still, Mikoto had mentioned something of a similar nature regarding some Uchiha tradition, so it seemed that no matter what, she wasn't going to win this battle. With a sigh, Tenten nodded. "Ok, that's fine," she looked at him. "Is Hinata on her way, yet?"

Hiashi nodded, "She'll be here in about fifteen minutes." He turned around to sit in the waiting room. Just before he exited completely, he turned around and gazed at Neji and Tenten. "I also wanted to tell you all some good news."

Neji raised an eyebrow. "And what would that be?"

Hiashi cleared his throat. "Due to the Hyuga tradition of male inheritance, this child is not eligible to start her own branch family, and therefore, will not be receiving the cursed seal."

A wave of relief washed over Neji, and he smiled. "Thank you, uncle, that had to have been hard to convince the elders of."

Hiashi smirked. "You're welcome, think of it as a gift for the little one."

Tenten smiled widely, "Thank you, Lord Hyuga."

He gave her a nod of acknowledgement, before he and Hanabi went into the viewing room. The hours passed by slowly as the Akimichi clan, Nara clan, and Yamanaka clan all came to wish Tenten a safe delivery, and the children were going to be brought over after the fact. Tsumi and Hana dropped by quickly to wish her luck, and had to leave due to Hana needing to take care of her three month old son. Sakura's parents also came, but Sakura had become embarrassed by them and kicked them out.

Last but not least to come into the room were the Uchiha. Mikoto sauntered into the room with an excited grace that only she could manage, and Fugaku followed with a grimace on his face. He'd just gotten back from ten hours of investigating ANBU murders, and he wasn't sure he had the energy to deal with this. The only reason he'd come was so that the Hyuga wouldn't sneer at him.

"How are you, dear?" Mikoto said, pushing Tenten's mother aside and taking her hand.

"I'm fine, thank you."

The Uchiha smiled, "That's wonderful! I can't wait to see her- she'll be so beautiful!" She stepped back and looked Tenten over. "I wish you'd been born into our clan- you'd have made an excellent addition."

Tenten's mother scowled. "I think she's perfectly fine, despite not belonging to a clan."

Mikoto's smile faltered, and her face began to turn slightly feral. "Yes, I suppose she is. However, the superiority of the Uchiha clan is well known throughout the village and the shinobi world as a whole."

"Our forge is the finest in the shinobi world, which is why your clansmen are so dependent on it.'

Mikoto's tense smile turned into a sneer. "I believe it is you who are dependent on us- if not for the business from the police force, your family would struggle more so than they already do."

"We don't struggle whatsoever- in fact, I don't recall receiving that last payment on all of those weapons your clan ordered."

Mikoto's eyes narrowed dangerously as she activated her Sharingan. "Don't even try to start with me. I was once a jonin, and I've killed countless other ninja. Unless you'd like to be one of them, I'd advise you to keep your mouth shut."

Itachi came into the room, placing his hand on his mother's shoulder. "Mother, stop. Let's not forget that today is supposed to be one of happiness, not one of competition and one upmanship." He smiled slightly and turned to Tenten, giving her a subtle bow. "I apologize about that- it's just that the entire clan is so excited for this new baby that we've apparently forgotten our manners." He glared pointedly at his mother.

Sasuke walked over after having watched the scene. "Thank you both for coming. Does father plan on entering the room at all?"

Mikoto gave her son a warm smile, completely contrasting her earlier behavior. "Of, course! Let me bring him in." She turned towards the doorway, and returned a few moments later with Fugaku in tow.

He looked to Tenten, "How close are you to delivery?"

Sasuke didn't give her a chance to speak. "Far from it- she's not dilating any further past five and a half centimeters."

Fugaku's gaze never left Tenten. "I see. And I trust that there were no epidurals during this time?"

Tenten's father stood up in rage. "If she wants to have one, let her have one! You're not the one going into labor here!"

Before Fugaku could respond, Itachi cut him off. "Please forgive my family for what they've said tonight- we appear to have pushed the envelope too far." He bowed to Tenten's father. "In terms of the epidural, but discouraging Tenten from getting one, we are trying to help more than hurt. You see, only one Uchiha woman has received an epidural, and it permanently damaged her spinal cord, and we do not wish for a repeat. It is more out of concern for Tenten and the baby than out of disrespect for her decision."

Tenten looked at Itachi in wonder. Was he really as noble as he came off? If so, she was happy that her daughter had him for a godfather. If not, she had to admit that the guy was an incredible actor. She spoke, trying to relieve the tension in the room, "Thank you for your kindness- all of you- but I think it's best that only those who are parenting the child be in the room at this moment." Her mother sent her a look of shock and hurt, and Tenten grabbed her hand tightly. "Please, Mom, we just need a few minutes to talk. It's nothing personal, believe me." Her mother nodded in understanding, and the Uchiha and her parents left.

Tenten groaned in frustration. "Will you guys please tell me why your families are so crazy?"

Sasuke sneered at her slightly. "It's not like yours is any better. Besides, you have to get used to them- like it or not, the Uchiha will have a hand in this child's upbringing."

Neji glared at Sasuke. "You're misunderstanding- what I believe she wanted to say was that we need to talk to the clans and ask them to tone it down a bit."

Ino sighed. "I've been kind of thinking the same thing, and to be honest, I think it'll make this whole thing a lot easier on all of us."

Shikamaru nodded. "God, what a drag. There's so much chaos and the baby hasn't even arrived yet! Who's going to talk to the clans about this?"

There was a long stretch of silence, "I will." Everyone turned to Naruto, who stood with determination. "I just want my daughter to be happy, and if that means cutting her off from the clans, so be it." He walked out of the room, and went into the adjacent waiting area.

His father saw him and smiled, but Naruto shook his head seriously. He cleared his throat, and started speaking. "If I could have everyone's attention, I need to tell you guys something important." The room started to quiet down, all eyes focused intently on Naruto. He continued, "The reason this beautiful baby girl is being brought into this world is so that the clans stop fighting, and so far, you guys have failed! She hasn't even been born yet, and you're all about ready to rip each other's throats out. I'm only going to tell you this once- what clan you belong to isn't going to matter to the baby, and it's not going to make her like you guys more. The more and more you guys will try to compete for her attention and favor, the more and more likely she'll be to cut you off, believe me. and by continuously fighting, you're only going to end up hurting her and yourselves, rather than getting some cheap shots at each other," he looked up, and saw Mikoto's saddened expression and Hiashi's thoughtful face. He sighed deeply, "Please, if not for her, then for the sanity of those around you, please try to stop fighting and just make nice." He turned and left the room, ignoring his mother's calls and his father's attempt to reel him back.

As he entered the birthing room, he brushed off his previous frustration and gave everyone a cheeky smile. Tenten looked at him hopefully, "I take that it went well?"

Naruto gave her a reassuring grin. "You bet it did! I told you guys you could count on me!"

Shikamaru shook his head, smirking slightly. "Leave it to the number one knucklehead ninja to talk some sense into the clans."

Just as Naruto was about to yell at Shikamaru, the phone in the room rang. Tenten answered hesitantly, and put the phone on speaker. "Hello?"

The nurse responded, sounding slightly hesitant. "Madam, I know that you requested that all visitors be denied, but Lady Hinata Hyuga insists on seeing you. May I let her in?"

Tenten was hesitant, and covered the speaker on her phone. "We just kicked the clans out, but can I let Hinata in?"

Sasuke glared. "Fine, but only on the condition that after she visits, the clans come back in. Deal?"

Tenten smiled. "Deal." She spoke into the phone. "Yes, she may come in."

"Great, I'll send her over."

Hinata came rushing through the door, and hurried over to Tenten's side. "I'm so sorry I'm late! I really didn't mean to be this late, but Hideaki had a fever, and-"

Neji placed a hand on his cousin's shoulder. "It's fine, you didn't do anything wrong." He gave her a reassuring smile, and Tenten gasped in intense pain. He rushed to her side, "What do you want me to do, Tenten?"

"I-I think I'll be fine, it should pass after a few minutes." Ino went over to Tenten's side, acting as a moral coach for her.

After a few minutes, Tenten felt a minor relief from her pain, and slowly, the clans filtered back in. The Uchiha, however,remained outside, speaking privately with Temari and Minato about the ANBU situation.

Fugaku shook his head, "Itachi interrogated that prisoner the other day, and there still weren't any leads, since the guy really was insane."

Minato sighed, "Have you found any other conclusive evidence, other than the Amaterasu marks?"

Itachi shook his head. "None so far. There haven't been any reliable sightings of Madara since the Nine Tails Attack and your account. All of the rogue Uchiha have been captured and sentenced to death."

Temari grimaced, "And what of Orochimaru's whereabouts?"

Fugaku rubbed the bridge of his nose, trying to ward off the impending migraine. "Those are also producing limited results."

Minato sighed. "I feel I may need to propose a meeting of the Kages to deal with this." He turned towards Tenten's room, "But for now, we should keep this quiet."

"Minato," Fugaku called, and the man turned around. "You don't think that Madara and Orochimaru know about this child, do you?"

Minato shook his head, "I certainly hope not."

With the grim topic that they had just discussed, it was hard for the four to feign excitement. Naruto had been taking pictures like crazy with his camera, when there was a suggestion that Tenten and the godparents should have a picture together.

Tenten seemed a little sad, "But Gaara isn't here- it wouldn't be right!"

Temari played with the stray strands of hair in the back of her head. "This doesn't have to be the official portrait," she said matter-of-factly. "He'll be here in two days time, but for now, you could at least try to have a little fun, you prude."

Tenten slapped her jokingly. "Oh, whatever! You and I both know the only reason you have fun at all is because of me!"

They laughed, and started telling some inside jokes, only stopping when Naruto cleared his throat loudly, pointedly holding his camera. Itachi and Hinata were on Tenten's left, and Temari on her right, and they all settled and focused on Naruto's camera.

"One, two, three, smile!"

They heard the shutter click, and three seconds later were blinded by the flash.

"Is there any way to turn the flash down just a little?" Tenten said, rubbing her eyes.

Naruto rubbed the back of his neck. "I don't know, I've never used this kind of lens before."

Sakura hit him upside the head, "You're telling me that you're taking pictures of the baby when you don't even know how to use the damn camera?!"

"Calm down, Sakura! Just give me a second, jeez!" He fumbled with the settings, taking a few experimental shots of the ground, before he was satisfied. "Ok, there's no flash with this one, if you guys wanna take it again?"

Tenten smiled. "I want another one, even if you guys don't. I want to try to get at least one good picture here, you know?"

Temari nodded, and all of the godparents came together for a second group portrait.

"One, two, three, smile!" Naruto looked at the preview on his camera screen. "This came out really well!" He walked over to Tenten's bedside, handing her the camera and selecting the image for preview.

He hadn't been lying- the picture was fantastic. He'd somehow managed to frame the image just so, with all of their faces perfectly centered, and none of the hospital equipment showed. They all had smiles on their faces, even Itachi. Tenten's was bright and wide, showing her excitement that her baby girl would be there soon. Temari's was a small, genuine smile that was reserved for. Special occasions, such as when she and Tenten had reconciled, and Gaara became Kazekage. Hinata's smile was sweet and gentle, matching her personality well. Itachi's smile was small, and the fact that he was rarely caught smiling made it that much more special. As she looked at it, she understood why Sasuke and the Uchiha clan revered him so much- he truly was a kind man. Before she could show anyone else the picture, another contraction hit, this one longer and more painful that she had experienced.

Temari looked at Itachi, who was closest to the call button, "Get Tsunade in here, now!"

He nodded, and pressed the call button. Tsunade arrived after a few minutes, and she checked Tenten's dilation again. She addressed her quietly, so that only the people immediately to her sides could hear. "Your dilation is slowing. Due to the hour, I'm going to let you sleep. You're not having this baby tonight, we can try again tomorrow, ok?"

Tenten sighed, "Ok."

Tsunade left the room as Tenten leaned back into her pillows. She turned to Hinata and Temari, "What am I supposed to tell all those people out there?! They're going to maim me for this!"

Itachi stood. "I'll go tell them what Lady Tsunade said, and they'll understand." He placed a hand on Tenten's shoulder. "Try to get some rest, this will all go over smoothly."

There was something about Itachi's voice that was hypnotic to Tenten. She didn't know why, but she felt herself nodding mechanically as she listened to his voice. Why hadn't she noticed how musical it had sounded before? The way his hand was on her shoulder was so comforting, and she had to keep herself from cuddling into it. The scenery around him seemed to blur myopically, and before she could think another thought, she fell into a deep sleep, feeling that something wasn't quite right.

Neji scowled as he realized that Itachi had just used genjutsu on his girlfriend, but said nothing as the Uchiha passed his and stepped into the viewing room. Fugaku stood as his son walked in, "What's going on? Why aren't they preparing her for labor already?!" There were grumbles of agreement amongst the other clans.

Itachi shook his head. "Lady Tsunade said that the baby will not be born tonight. We're going to try again tomorrow morning, but for now, both Tenten and the child need to rest."

Mikoto frowned. "How long are they anticipating the labor to last tomorrow?!"

Itachi shrugged. "I'm not sure, but either way, the baby will arrive tomorrow at the earliest." He left the room, and Sasuke followed him out. This didn't escape Itachi's notice, and they stepped onto the outdoor patio to speak.

"How did it look? Is the baby alright?"

Itachi nodded. "The baby is doing just fine, Sasuke, but Tenten isn't dilating anymore. In fact, she's hit a standstill, if you will."

Sasuke looked to his brother in surprise. "Is that even possible?! They won't have to go through with a Caesarian, will they?"

Itachi shrugged. "I don't know, but I made sure that Tenten would get some sleep this evening."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "You used a genjutsu on her?"

"Tsunade was planning to use drugs. Which would you have rather put her under?"

Sasuke didn't respond, glaring at the ground instead. Itachi place a hand on his shoulder, causing him to look up. "It'll be ok, little brother. She and the baby will pull through, and tomorrow you will be gifted with a daughter." Itachi smiled slightly, and Sasuke returned the look. They walked back into the building, and saw that some of the clans had less members than before. Sasuke sent a questioning look to his mother.

She smiled, "Some people went back home to get pillows and blankets- it seems everyone is intent on staying here tonight."

Sasuke nodded, returning to the room with his peers. "So I guess we're all staying the night here."

Neji nodded, his gaze not leaving Tenten's face for a moment. Sasuke looked at her, too, wanting to get the full scope of his brother's work. "How long will it last?" Neji muttered.

"I'm not sure, but she'll have sweet dreams, from the looks of it." Neji raised an eyebrow, and Sasuke shrugged. "Toshio had terrible nightmares a few years ago, and Itachi couldn't put him down normally. Instead of using drugs, Itachi developed a genjutsu that does the opposite of Tsukuyomi, and takes the best of people's minds and gives them illusions of those images."

They sat in silence before Sasuke stood up and left. The room had grown quiet, and many of their peers had fallen asleep, as well as most the clan heads. Neji looked up when Temari handed him a blanket, and as he leaned against the edge of Tenten's bed, he fell into a deep, exhausted sleep.

* * *

There was a noise, and Neji immediately shot up from his previous position. Tenten was doubled over in pain, and several people had surrounded her. Tsunade was called in, and when she examined Tenten, she smiled slightly.

"It's finally time. Are you ready?"

Tenten shook her head nervously, and Ino and Temari held her hands, acting as doulas for the moment. Tsunade placed her hand on Neji's shoulder, "Go slide in behind Tenten and hold her between your legs."

Neji nodded, doing as he was told, and soon enough, the time came for Tenten to start pushing. She cried out in pain with the first push, and fell back against his chest in exhaustion. She didn't get much of a break,as Tsunade instructed her to push again.

Tears were streaming down Tenten's face, the baby finally starting to make her way into the world. She pushed several more times, with minimal results, until the baby had started to crown. She cried out in pain, gripping whoever e hands she was holding so tightly that they were probably broken. But she didn't care, because it had felt as if she had been ripped apart and thrown into acid at the same time. Finally, after hours of pushing, she heard the most wonderful sentence in the world.

"She's out!" There was a roar of applause, and a small cry came out from newly develed vocal chords. Tsunade smiled as she wiped the baby down, wrapping her in a blanket and handing her to Tenten.

Tenten looked at the beautiful, small face that was currently scrunched up in frustration. She touched the baby's face, and felt a rush of joy overwhelm her as she held the life that she had created. Even though she was crying her little eyes out at the moment, Yukari was beautiful- and Tenten had sworn shed never seen such a gorgeous baby before. Everything about her was perfect, and Tenten felt as if her very being now existed only within this child.

Neji stared in fascination at the little person his fiancé was holding. Did he really have any part in creating such a wonderful being? Because surely, something so precious, something so incredible, couldn't have come from him. As Yukari cried, and Tenten placed her finger in the baby's hand, Neji understood the true meaning of happiness, and realized the shift in his fate. Before that moment, he had only existed in his selfish quest to uphold his father's name. Now... Now his existence was solely to protect his child and lover, and make them as happy as possible. The determination he felt at that moment could have only been defined as the Will of Fire.

Sakura had seen plenty of babies be brought into the world- and she had even been the midwife for quite a few of them. She knew about the sudden release of oxytocin that new mothers felt, about the way to properly assist the new mother in breast feeding, and about how none of this really mattered to the infant. For babies, she had figured, everything wad alright so long as they were comfortable. Their brains didn't yet associate love, or bonding, or family, or happiness, so why bother trying to snuggle with them the entire day? But now she understood that even though the baby wouldn't remember any of these precious and wonderful first moments, that she would. She smiled as Yukari had started to quiet down, and soaked in as many memories as she could.

Kiba had been like Sakura once before, only instead of babies, it was litters of pups- sometimes as large as thirteen in one day. He'd seen people get worked up over the fact that there was a new baby, but to him, things wouldn't start to matter until the kid could actually crawl. Kiba thought of things very offhandedly when it came to babies, and didn't see why people always made such a big fuss over them. Yeah, they were small, and some of them were cute, but they whined and cried and were dependent on their parents for several decades. But looking at Yukari, the baby girl that he had named,his first daughter, all of that was completely different. She was there to be protected and mentored by him; she was meant to cry on his shoulder after a hard day at school, and ask him for bedtime stories. Most importantly, she was there to be the person he loved most in his life, and honestly? As far as Kiba was concerned, that was an easy task to fulfill.

Naruto stood, mouth agape as he admired her. She was there- in front of him, tangible, even!- and he couldn't move. He watched in awe as she cried, feeling a bond that he could never describe to anyone. She was this lovely little thing that he had helped to create, this little life that would contribute wonderful things to the world, and he was her Daddy. She had slowly calmed down, and her eyelids started to flutter and cringe, before opening for the first time. She squinted, turning her head in his direction, gazing at him fully. As their eyes connected, Naruto felt a tear fall shamelessly down his face. He wanted nothing more than to love this little girl, and to be loved back by her equally. Her blue-gray eyes took instant hold of his heart, and he gave her the most loving smile he could, while making a silent promise to himself: he would do anything to protect, love, and cherish this little girl for as long as he lived. As if in understanding, the corner of Yukari's mouth twitched in the closest thing to a smile as she could figure out at the time.

Ino had looked at the small baby, amazed at how great it felt to be a mother again. Yukari seemed to be a very inquisitive child after she had calmed down, staring at everyone in wonder. Ino smiled as she imagined the questions going through the little ones mind: Where am I?, Who are all of you people?, What are we doing here?, and probably most of all, Why are you staring at me? Taking a glance away from the little princess, she took in the awed expressions of the new parents. They all were so amazed at the baby, staring at her with such loving intent that Ino's heart felt incredibly warm.

Shikamaru saw very much the same thing as Ino when he looked into Yukari's curious eyes. He knew that she would end up asking many 'what if' questions, and always want to know more about everything. He saw her potential as a strategistas she stared intently at everyone. Her blue gray eyes had a glint in them, and he felt overly cliché as he compared them to diamonds. He smiled, and imagined the moments he would spend putting puzzles together with her, or teaching her how to play Shogi. Shikamaru pictured the two of them and Kanako sitting together and reading stories, and having intellectual conversations. He saw Kanako helping Yukari with her homework, playing board games together, and overall just being very close sisters. He held back a laugh as he imagined Yukari forcing his father to play with her, while his mom watched fondly from the corner. No matter how troublesome she might be in the future, Yukari was definitely worth all of the hassle.

Choji was practically bouncing in delight- he was a father again! He cooed to the baby as she looked at him, and when her gaze continued to linger, he felt his heart leap into his throat, and he wanted nothing more than to cuddle with her. He felt pride in the fact that she was his- forget the others, he would be as selfish with her as he could be! Hanako was going to love her baby sister so much, and Choji already knew that when it came down to the older siblings, that she would be the most supportive of them all. He could see Yukari taking her first steps, starting school at the ninja academy, taking her chunin exams... And throughout all of it, he would be with her, watching her, supporting her, and giving her all of the love he possibly could.

Shino watched the baby take a hold of Tenten's finger, and wanted to trade places with her more than anything. He sighed in contentment as the baby shifted around in her blankets, flailing her arms in the air for reasons unbeknownst to him. He gave a small smile, and waited patiently for her to be handed to him. When she was finally in his arms, he saw her start to snuggle into him, and he tightened his grip slightly. He hoped that this wouldn't be the last time she sought his comfort or support; Shino wanted Yukari to sit in his lap for no reason, or ask him to hold her just because, or to lean against him on the couch just to do so. He also wanted her to be close to Sayuri, and see them playing in the garden, chasing butterflies together in the spring, and catching fireflies in the summer and fall. He wanted the two to grow up having a strong bond to one another, in the way that he'd been with Torune. He sighed in disappointment, reluctantly handing her to Sasuke, who gave him an impatient scowl.

After receiving Yukari from Shino, Sasuke looked into the captivating blue gray eyes, watching as they started to fill with large crocodile tears. He shushed her quietly, rocking her in his arms, and watching as she yawned. He wondered if she was going to be the type of child who cried over everything, and came to the conclusion that yes, she would, since as soon as he stopped rocking her she wailed again. He smiled to himself, knowing that she would constantly seek everyone's attention. He knew for a fact that his mother and Itachi were going to be responsible for her becoming spoiled, but Sasuke hoped that he would be responsible for her becoming successful as a kunoichi. He smirked as he realized that Katsuro was going to be overly protective of her, chasing away the boys and potentially ruining her chances of dating, but he didn't mind. He also knew that Katsuro would most likely be the one to help her with her training, and pass on advice about missions, the chunin exams, and the like. He felt her hand grip his shirt tightly, and watched her as she slept peacefully. Sasuke saw the contentment on her face, and realized just how miserable his marriage and his career in ANBU had made him. He handed the sleeping baby back to Tenten, excusing himself for a moment and asking to talk to Minato outside.

Yukari slept heavily, even as she was passed around the room no less than thirty times. When her older siblings came in, they displayed nothing less than sheer excitement. Tenten smiled as she heard Kanako and Sayuri squealing, and pressed her finger to her lips in a silent gesture for them to be quiet. They approached the bed, and they all admired their new baby sister. Naruto came over with the camera, and took several pictures of them with the baby, all of them getting the chance to have a picture of just them and the baby.

Kanako, with her dominant personality, was the first to hold her. She sat down in a chair, waiting impatiently for her Daddy to bring her baby sister over. Shikamaru held Yukari, helping his eldest hold her properly. Kanako looked at the smal sleeping face, beaming with excitement at how cute her baby sister was. She leaned down, speaking softly in the baby's ear. "Hi Yukari. This is your big sister, Kanako, and I'm holding you for the first time ever. You're really little right now, but that doesn't matter, 'cause I love you no matter what." She bent over and gently kissed the baby's forehead, and Naruto snapped the picture.

Shikamaru smiled as he watched his girls meeting for the first time, and Kaori walked over, placing her head on his chest. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders, and they sat there for a while, watching as Kanako fawned over Yukari. Shikamaru turned to his wife, "Thanks for bringing her here."

Kaori nodded, craning her neck to kiss him on the cheek. He turned and their lips touched briefly, before they both turned back to their daughters. While part of her knew that Yukari would never be particularly close to her, Kaori still considered her as a daughter, hoping that the former would at least consider her as a mother figure. She looked up to her husband, and their eyes met. She smiled, "She's beautiful."

Shikamaru returned the smile, "Yeah, she is."

Kanako looked over to her parents, and caught their attention. "I think baby sister wants to see someone else now."

Shikamaru's smile widened a bit, "Ok." He gently took Yukari out of her arms, and turned to see Shino with his arms outstretched. He gave her to Shino, who went over to Sayuri and placed the baby in her arms, adjusting them to support the baby's head.

"Be gentle with her, Sayuri. Babies are very delicate."

She beamed up at him. "I know that! I was practicing with my dolls this morning, and Mummy says I'm good at it!"

Shino smiled slightly, nodding and letting his daughter hold the baby. Sayuri began to babble quietly, whispering to the baby about things he didn't even understand. Natsuki came over and held his hand, leaning her head against his shoulder. Shino placed his chin at the top of her head, watching his daughters first meeting. Natsuki laughed a little as her daughter talked the baby's ear off, not even hearing Naruto ask her if she wanted to take a picture.

Shino called her. "Sayuri," she looked up. "Do you want a picture with your sister?"

"Of course I do!"

Naruto smiled. "Ok, look at the camera. One, two, three, smile!" The shutter clicked, and Naruto showed everyone the image preview. Shino's smile widened as he saw Sayuri's large grin and Yukari's content expression.

He turned back to his daughter, who had gone back to talking to the baby. "Sayuri, it's someone else's turn to hold the baby."

Sayuri pouted. "But I was just telling her about our backyard!"

"You'll have plenty of time to talk to her later. But for right now, you need to share your sister." He took the baby from her, and Choji walked over to take her to Haruna.

From her place on Hanako's lap, Haruna waited patiently to hold her new sister. She looked up to her mother, and whispered. "She's really pretty, isn't she Mama?"

Hanako smiled down at her. "Yes, she is. You were very pretty, too."

"I was?!"

"Yes, you were. You had the rosiest cheeks and the prettiest smile when you were born." Hanako stroked her daughters hair. "You're still very pretty, and you're a very sweet girl, but you know that, right?"

"I do, Mama. I'm going to make sure that baby sister knows how pretty she is. I'll tell her every day how much I lover her, too."

Hanako smiled fondly at her daughter as Choji came over with the baby. Placing a kiss on Haruna's head, she responded. "I'm sure you will, baby."

Choji stood in front of Haruna, watching her stroke the baby's cheek tenderly. He listened as she bragged about her pretty baby sister, and he smiled as he heard Haruna talk about how much she loved Yukari. The baby didn't respond, sound asleep, and they hardly noticed Naruto taking yet another picture.

Shigeru went over to Ino, climbing into her lap and snuggling into her shoulder. He had tried to talk to Katsuro, but the only other boy his age was more interested in his father than playing. Everyone else was staring at the baby, including his Mama. When Ino didn't respond to his affection, he pouted and called it to her. "Mama?"

She didn't even spare him a glance. "Yes, baby?"

He pouted and sniffled slightly, about to cry before his Mama wrapped her arms around him. For some reason, this made him want to cry even more, so he did, keeping his sobs quiet.

Ino frowned, pushing his hair back and kissing his forehead. "What is it, sweetie?"

Shigeru whispered, "Nobody loves me no more, they just love baby sister now."

Ino wiped his tears away. "That's not true. Everyone's just excited that she's here, and that's why she's getting so much attention right now. I still love you, and Granmama and Grandpapa still love you, and now, you have a baby sister who loves you very much."

He looked up at her. "But how can she love me when she's sleeping?"

Ino laughed a little. "You'll see right now," she directed his gaze to Shikamaru, who held the baby out for Shigeru. The five year old turned around, holding his hands out nervously. As the baby was placed in his arms, he gasped.

"Mama, she's really cute!"

Ino laughed a little. "Yes, she is, isn't she?"

Shigeru nodded. "She's really warm, too."

Ino kissed his cheek. "I'm sure she is."

Shigeru leaned back into her chest, and Ino pulled him and Yukari even closer. "I understand now Mama. I lover her a whole lot, too. Do you think she loves me back?"

Ino pressed her cheek to her sons. "She loves you back just as much as you love her. No matter what, she's going to love you forever and ever."

Shigeru's eyes sparkled, and he smiled at his baby sister, holding her tightly and enjoying the feeling of being a big brother. They sat there for a moment, with Naruto yet again taking another picture. A few minutes later, Sasuke walked up to them.

"Is it alright for Katsuro to hold her now?"

Ino nodded, and Shigeru held the baby out to Sasuke, who gave him a nod of acknowledgement. Shigeru was jealous of Katauro for a second- he had a Daddy who was cool and strong, and he grumbled in Ino's lap. "I wish Mr. Sasuke was my Daddy, too."

Ino heard this, and she fought back her tears at how she had failed her son. "Oh baby, I'm so sorry." She held him against her chest, kissing the top of his head. "But Katsuro is probably jealous of you."

"Why? He has a Daddy!"

Ino turned as she whispered into his ear. "Because you have a Mommy." She looked down and smiled at him, and he hugged her tightly. She hugged him back, watching as Sasuke placed the baby into Katsuro's arms.

Sasuke gently set the sleeping baby into his son's arms, watching as she twitched and flinched in her sleep. Katsuro's eyes widened in surprise, and he became nervous. "It's ok, Katsuro, babies sometimes do that while they sleep."

Katsuro nodded, and he watched his baby sister. She started moving around a lot, and opened her eyes. They quickly filled with tears, and she started crying loudly. Katsuro tried to hand her back to Vati, but the man just nudged her back into his arms.

"She's alright, Katsuro, just try to rock her." The small boy tried desperately to quiet his sister, but became panicked and flustered when she wouldn't stop crying. Sasuke sighed, and took the baby from his son, directing him to get out of the chair. Katsuro scrambled off of the seat, and Sasuke sat down in it, beckoning his son to sit in his lap. Sasuke rocked the baby, shushing her gently and using a soothing tone. Katsuro cried, and knew that the only reason his sister was crying was because of him.

Sasuke noticed this, and spoke to his son. "It isn't your fault, Katsuro. Babies cry very often, especially when they're this little." The small boy nodded, and Sasuke handed the now calm baby to Neji. With his younger sister gone, Katsuro buried himself in Vati's chest, not knowing what else to do. With a sigh, Sasuke wrapped his arms around the small boy, who snuggled into his warmth.

"Why are you crying?" He looked down at the sobbing mess his son had become.

"It's a-all my f-fault, Vati. Baby sister hates me!"

Sasuke sighed. "No she doesn't. She just doesn't know how to talk yet, so she tells us things by crying."

"But she didn't cry when everyone else held her! She just doesn't like me Vati, just like Mommy didn't like me either!"

At the mention of his ex, Sasuke glowered darkly, tightening his grip on his son. "Look at me, Katsuro."

"Uh-uh!"

"Look at me!" Sasuke lifted the child's chin with his fingers. "What happened with your mother was different. I can guarantee you that your baby sister loves you very much, just like myself and Uncle Itachi. It's your job as he big brother to protect her, and love her. Can you still do that?"

The boy wiped his tears and nodded. Sasuke gave his son a small smile, and Neji handed the baby back to them. Katsuro smiled at the baby, and he promised that he would love and protect her always. "Hey Vati?"

"What is it?"

"I don't want her to ever have a boyfriend."

Sasuke chuckled. "Neither do I. Are you going to help me with that?"

"Yes. No boy is good enough for my baby sister!"

Sasuke laughed a little. "I know." He glanced at his wristwatch. "It's time I took you home- you need to take a nap and have lunch."

Katsuro pouted, handing the baby back to Neji, and kissing her head before he left. The other older siblings had to do the same, and they left as well. Naruto, Kiba, and Sakura went back to the mansion to get some rest and prepare the nursery, leaving just Neji and Tenten with the baby.

Neji lay next to Tenten on his side, with her back to his chest as they watched the baby. "She's perfect," Tenten mumbled.

Neji smiled, wrapping his arm around her and grabbing her hand. "Yes, she is."

They watched her as she slept, and fell asleep themselves. Before nodding off, Tenten read the small card in the side of the bassinet:

_Yukari Emiko Takahashi_

_5lbs, 3oz, 17in_

_Born: 7:08 am, July 8th_

* * *

So that's it! I wanted to name the baby Emiko, but I remember that name was used in another fanfiction, and so was Ayano. To be honest, I just remembered the name of my Japanese friend from fourth grade, and I thought the name was cute, so that's how that happened.

Please drop a review, I love reading them, and I always respond :)

Until next time!


	5. Chapter 5: Welcome

Hello all! Here's chapter five, I hope you all enjoy! It's the longest chapter of the story, at a bit over 20K! I'm hoping this will keep you all occupied for a while, since I start college in two weeks. Updates will be much longer and they'll be pretty infrequent as well, just to warn you. But, you'll have over 80K words, so hopefully you'll be satisfied.

**I dedicate this chapter to sunshine1381- Happy Belated Birthday!**

* * *

Chapter 5: Welcome

Neji carried the carseat out into the valet area, with Tenten walking behind him. He strapped the seat in, triple checking that it was secured. He paced the carseat in its carrier, once again ensuring that it was placed correctly. Once he was confident that Yukari wouldn't fall out of her car seat- which was a major concern of his- he closed the door quietly as Tenten slid into the backseat. The ride home was only twenty minutes, and it was peacefully quiet.

As they pulled into the driveway, Tenten took the car seat out of its holder, and carried the baby inside. Yukari had fallen asleep in the car, and didn't wake up even when jostled. Neji opened the front door for her, and Tenten stepped inside. Naruto was the first one she ran into, and he all but ran over to the baby. He smiled fondly as he looked at her little sleeping face.

"Aww, she's so cute! How long has she been sleeping?" He whispered, but even then, it was still a little loud.

"Probably about fifteen minutes or so," Neji replied. Tenten set the carseat down on the couch, and started to cautiously unbuckle the baby. "Where is everyone else?"

"They all went back to their homes to spend some time with their kids. Sakura had to go to the hospital for her shift, and I think Kiba went to take the puppy for a walk."

Yukari twitched, startling herself and waking herself up. Her exhaustion from being born still hadn't worn off, and with much frustration, she began crying. Tenten pulled her out of the car seat, and began cooing to her softly as Neji and Naruto rushed over in concern.

"Shhh, it's ok, baby. Mommy is here, don't cry! Shhh..." Yukari continued to wail, and Tenten tried rocking her gently. Tenten shuddered as she felt the gust from the A/C. "It's freezing in here! Where's her blanket?!"

Neji handed her the blanket Hinata had made, and Tenten swaddled the baby snugly. After a minute or so, she quieted down, but she still had short, choppy breaths from her earlier tears. Yukari stared at Tenten, and the latter smiled warmly at her. The baby didn't understand what the expression was supposed to mean, but she became bored with it and shifted her gaze to Neji. While his smile wasn't nearly as bright as Tenten's, it was there. What Yukari found interesting were his eyes. She glanced at him for a while, but he was boring, too, so she looked to the only other person in the room.

He was interesting- his hair was really fun looking, and if she could have, she would have pulled at it. His eyes were a nice color, one that she liked. She somewhat remembered him being the first person she saw, and she tried to twist her lips to reflect his smile. It didn't quite work for her, but she continued to stare at him, her lips twitching several times.

Tenten laughed softly. "She really likes you, Naruto. Do you want her?"

Naruto smiled gently at Yukari. "Yeah, I'll take her."

As she was placed into his arms, Yukari noticed how warm Naruto was, and snuggled closer to his chest. She squirmed around in the blanket, shifting to make herself comfortable as Naruto sat down in the closest armchair. She continued to look at him, before she noticed the room that they were in.

A rich, warm cross between gold and champagne colored the walls, with the high ceiling in the living room reaching the height of the second story. The large, Roman style tiles covered the entire first floor, but the large rug in the room obscured them from sight. An unlit fireplace stood directly in front of them, with its mantle covered by various books and scrolls. Above the mantle was a large flat screen TV, and hidden away in the cabinets on the right wall were movies, tapes, CDs, and games.

Kiba walked in, wiping his shoes off and setting them aside as he came indoors. The puppy panted, barking excitedly when he saw Tenten. Akamaru wagged his tail, also happy to see her, and Kiba looked up. He smiled, "They let you take her home?"

Neji nodded, and Kiba walked over to the couch, sitting next to Naruto. Yukari looked at him, and his grin widened. The new puppy scrambled over in excitement, sniffing the baby's face before licking her head. Neji scowled. "Stop that! Don't lick her, it's gross!"

Kiba laughed. "Calm down, Neji! He's just showing that he likes her is all."

"That may be, but he licks his rear end as well, and as a newborn, she could become very ill from his slobber."

Tenten placed a hand on his shoulder. "She'll be fine. Besides, I've heard that children, and especially babies, who are raised with animals in the house have stronger immune systems than children who aren't."

Neji shook his head, muttering under his breath in that grumpy way of his. The four new parents sat there for twenty minutes, staring at the baby before she began crying. Naruto tried to shush her, bouncing her in his arms, before Kiba took her from him, only to receive the same results. Yukari looked pitifully at Tenten, who held her gently, trying to calm her down, all to no effect. Tenten handed her to Neji. "I'm going to get her pacifier."

Neji nodded, bouncing his daughter gently while trying to shush her. Her crying began to slow, and her half closed eyes looked up at him. He smiled slightly, still rocking her and murmuring little nothing's under his breath. Tenten came over with the pacifier, and Yukari accepted, sucking on it and falling asleep in moments.

"Wow, I don't think she's ever calmed down so quickly," Tenten whispered.

Neji shrugged. "She's just really tired, I think."

Naruto shook his head. "I think she just likes it when you put her to sleep the best."

Neji smiled down at Yukari. "Well, whatever the reason may be, she's asleep, and we should probably head to bed ourselves." He carried her upstairs into the nursery, lowering the side of the crib and setting her down inside. She didn't stir, only flinching in her sleep as she usually did. He smiled, and gently kissed her forehead before pulling the side of the crib up and shutting the door quietly.

Tenten was in bed, looking at her phone when he walked into the room. He changed into only some pajama pants, crawling in next to her. She turned her phone off, leaning over and kissing him. "It's official, we are now parents to a beautiful baby girl. Isn't it wonderful?!"

He pressed his forehead to hers. "Yes, it is."

* * *

Three days after bringing the baby home, all of the parents were able to be present in the mansion. It would have been nice had Yukari not been crying all afternoon, like she had been, but unfortunately, she was upset for reasons unknown to everyone.

Sakura and Kiba bustled about in the nursery, trying to deal with the baby as best as they could. Sakura checked her diaper again, only to find that it was empty. She groaned, bouncing the baby as Kiba tried to play with her.

"That's it, I can't handle this anymore! She just won't stop crying!"

Kiba nodded, "Lets giver her to someone that knows what they're doing!"

With impecible timing, Choji came through the doorway. He held his hands out for Yukari, and Sakura gladly handed the screaming baby over.

Choji cooed to the baby as he headed downstairs. "It's ok, sweetie, your bottle will be done soon." He saw Naruto swirling the bottle to even out the temperature.

He smiled, "I think it's ready!" Choji handed the baby over to Naruto, and she gripped the latter's shirt in frustration. She looked up, staring at him before bursting into tears again.

Choji coached Naruto through feeding her. "You might want to hold her in a way that's like she's sitting up." Naruto adjusted his arms. "Good, now press the nipple to her lips and see if she'll take it." Naruto followed the instructions, and when Yukari felt the plastic end touch her lips, she turned her head and continued to sob. Naruto tried again, before Choji took her.

He placed the nipple inside of her mouth, and she used her tongue to push it away. He tried several more times, before Shikamaru came over and shoved the pacifier into her mouth and took her.

Looking down at Yukari, Shikamaru sighed. "Why are you being so troublesome today?" She continued to cry, and he placed her head on his shoulder as he walked with her around the house. She wasn't crying as much, but she most certainly wasn't calm. She screeched loudly, and the pacifier fell out of her mouth as a result.

Shino picked it up from the floor, washing it off in the sink before trying to place it into the baby's mouth again. She turned away from it, as much as she had done with the bottle. Shino took her from Shikamaru, taking her into the garden in an attempt to soothe her. Instead of staring at the plants as she normally did, the baby turned her head away from the sun, squinting at its brightness.

The scent of cigarette was apparent. "She's still upset, I see." Shino turned, and saw Sasuke putting out a half-finished smoke. He stood, holding his hands out for the baby, and Shino reluctantly complied.

Yukari buried her face into Sasuke's shoulder, and he rubbed her back gently using his fingertips. She whimpered pathetically, and he sighed. "You need a nap." He rocked her gently, rubbing her back the entire time, and while she was quiet for a few minutes, she started crying loudly again. Sasuke tried not to become annoyed, but if he hated anything, it was definitely an inconsolable baby.

"Aww, what's the matter my little princess?" Sasuke turned and saw Ino standing, stroking the baby's bald head. She smiled slightly at him, and he half heartedly returned the look. The two had been more or less dating for the past three months, and things were going really well. Both of them had become officially divorced and they each had full custody of their sons. Katsuro and Shigeru got along well, becoming best friends and always running off to play together. The boys had also made it very clear that they wouldn't allow Yukari to date until she was at least one thousand, and the only person she could date was some anime character that didn't even exist. Still, it was cute to see them getting along so well, considering their mutual sibling and their parents' relationship.

Sasuke gave her to Ino, "She's tired, but she doesn't seem to want to go down for a nap." Ino nodded, sitting down on the large swing, and Sasuke sat next to her. Yukari yawned widely, snuggling into Ino's chest, and Sasuke resumed stroking her back. The baby closed her eyes for a moment, before forcing them open and crying again. Ino pushed the swing forward with her foot, hushing the baby, but there was no stop to her tears.

"What does Tenten normally do to put her down?" Sasuke asked, and Ino shook her head.

"I don't know, but someone is very fussy today from what I hear." Ino tapped the baby's nose, but received no recognition from the action. Yukari turned her head to look at Sasuke, her bottom lip coming out in a helpless pout.

He took her, and she pushed her head into his shoulder. Sasuke placed his hand over the back of her head, an action that Yukari seemingly got upset over. She started crying louder than he'd heard any baby cry, and he growled. "I think she should just be put down, since we've done everything to soothe her."

Ino nodded. "She's generally such a good baby, too. Maybe she has colic or something?"

Sasuke shrugged, stepping inside with Ino following. They went up to the nursery, running into Neji as they came up to the door. The Hyuga raised an eyebrow. "Is she still making a fuss? It's been an hour already."

Sasuke glowered at him slightly. "You take her then. She needs to be put down for a nap anyways."

Neji took the baby, stepping into the nursery with Sasuke and Ino coming in behind him. Neji sat on the rocking chair, and Yukari opened her eyes. She saw him looking down at her, and she rubbed her eyes sleepily. Neji smiled, placing her head on his shoulder, and she moved so that it was on the crook of his neck. Her breaths were shaky, but she was no longer crying. Occasionally she would let out a whimper, but when Neji hushed her, she was silenced. It only took a few minutes until she was sleeping, and Neji kissed her forehead.

Ino stood in shock. "How did you do that?! She's been making a fuss for hours!" she whispered angrily.

Neji shrugged. "She always goes down like this for me."

Sasuke waved it off. "Whatever it is, at least she's sleeping now." He left the room, and Ino followed him after kissing the baby's cheek tenderly.

Neji placed her in the crib, tucking her into the blanket tightly. He stroked the side of her face affectionately, pulling up the side of the crib and leaving the room. He shut the door quietly, walking across the hall to the room he shared with Tenten.

She turned to look at him. "Is the baby asleep?"

He nodded, laying next to her. "How's your migraine?"

She closed her eyes. "The same. Maybe now I can get some rest with the baby sleeping."

Neji kissed the top of her head. "I hope so."

They lay there for a while, before both of them fell asleep, enjoying the temporary peace and quiet.

* * *

As the next few months came and went, Yukari had grown attached to her parents in their respective ways. Every morning, Tenten was the one who came to wake her, and she always had a few minutes of snuggling next to her Mommy. Tenten also fed her in the morning, and she had to be breast fed no more than an hour after waking up.

After a while of being awake, Ino would take her back into the nursery and dress her up for the day, brushing the little tufts of hair that were barely starting to grow. Ino also spent a considerable amount of time cuddling with her, and often showered her face and head with kisses, earning her a smile.

There would be a small pause in the day where Yukari would be on a play mat in the living room, entertaining herself with toys for an hour or two while Tenten tidied up and everyone else ran errands and did missions.

Sasuke had recently resigned from ANBU, and he now had a three man squad of genin to train. On that squad was none other than Norio Hatake, who gave Sasuke nothing short of attitude. Still, Sasuke's mood had improved, and he wasn't always as tense as he was before. He and Katsuro were able to spend more time together, and often they trained with Itachi and Toshio. This newfound time in Sasuke's day was also spent with Yukari, though it was generally in the evening that he had her.

Around mid morning, Naruto had would come home, and Yukari would squeal with delight whenever she saw him. They were very close, and Naruto coddled and spoiled her rotten. She had him wrapped around her little finger, and the entire Fire Nation knew it. He spent a significant amount of time playing with her, going so far as tossing her high in the air. Tenten had a near heart attack when he had thrown her up so far that she had nearly touched the ceiling. Generally, if the baby wanted someone's attention, it was Naruto's since he was the most fun and affectionate person.

Choji came home around noon, and Shikamaru was around sometime after that. Yukari would only accept a bottle if Choji gave it to her, and the only time she would take it was in mid day. If anyone else so much as attempted to bottle feed her, she would stubbornly deny it and turn her face away. Choji didn't seem to mind, since after he burped her she would generally lay there and let him hold her.

Shikamaru would take her after that, and lay with her on the couch. She would lay on his chest and fall asleep as he lazed about. It was fairly common for the two of them to be seen napping together on the couch. Yukari almost always wanted to be around Shikamaru when she was sleepy, at least during the day she did. When she woke up from her nap, she would spend the next few minutes touching his face and grabbing at his clothes.

Yukari smiled as she placed her palm over Shikamaru's mouth, and he kissed her hand. Letting out an excited squeal, she grabbed his lips and pulled on them. He unmatched her grip from his face, telling her to play nicely. She ignored him, focused on his hands and grabbing them. She played with his fingers, bending them and deciding to put them in her mouth after a few minutes.

"Don't do that, it's yucky!" Shikamaru chided as he removed his hand from her mouth. He sat up, adjusting her to lean against his chest. She turned her face, and began sucking on his arm. "Why do you always have to be so troublesome?" He tickled her, causing her to erupt with small, shrieking laughs.

Naruto walked into the room, seeing Yukari getting tickled. He smiled, "Is my baby awake?" Shikamaru handed her to him, and left the room. Naruto smiled even further, as he lifted her to be above his head. He blew a raspberry on her stomach, and she practically screamed in laughter. He did it again and again, getting the same reaction every time. Ino stood in the doorway, laughing at her daughter's predicament.

"Aww, you're so precious!" Ino kissed her cheek, and Yukari tried to grab her hair. Ino pulled away, kissing the outstretched hand. "I'm going back to my place for the night, I'll be back in the morning."

Naruto waved, "'Kay. See ya tomorrow." He took the baby's hand, making her wave and blow kisses as Ino left.

The two of them were alone again, and Naruto set Yukari on the ground to play. She giggled as Naruto made a fool of himself, and he lifted her up to cuddle. She happily leaned into his touch, and Naruto took in her scent. It was true- babies smelled wonderful, but for Naruto, Yukari had an amazing scent that was unparalleled. He didn't know how to describe it, but it was lovely. He held her so often that her scent lingered on his jacket, and the fragrance always brought a smile to his face.

The door opened, and Shino walked in. Yukari paid him little mind, since she wasn't able to see him from the doorway, but when he stepped into her line of sight, she squealed with excitement as she did when she saw everyone. His smile didn't show, but he held his arms out and Naruto reluctantly let him take her. The two of them went outside like they normally did, and Shino let her observe everything.

She stared at the tree branches as the wind blew, admiring them. For some reason, the image seemed to calm her, and she leaned her head against his shoulder as she continued to watch the tree. Some leaves fell, with their color slightly yellow due to autumn being near. The breeze was slightly chilly, and Shino brought his coat over the baby to protect her from the cold. She clenched and unclenched his shirt, watching as a bird flounced around, chirping as it did. Shino turned away from the small pine tree, and walked over to the other side of the garden.

The lime tree was one of Yukari's favorite things, and she would reach out to grab the fruit. Shino picked a ripened lime from the tree, wiping the dirt off before handing it to her. She touched it, trying to squeeze, but her minimal infant strength did little. With the fruit still in Shino's hand, she attempted to try to suck on it, but Shino pulled it away.

Tears filled her eyes, but before she could wail out in frustration, the back door opened and shut. She turned and shrieked as Kiba sauntered over. He smiled in that cocky way of his, and Yukari leaned in his direction. Shino gave her to Kiba, and the baby girl laughed in excitement as the puppy jumped on Kiba, yapping for his attention.

"How's she been today?"

"I don't know, I've only been here an hour. You should probably ask Naruto." Shino walked away, sulking over the fact that he rarely had time with the baby.

Kiba rolled his eyes as his friend walked away, but he turned to the baby and smiled. "You ready for our walk?" Yukari did nothing significant in response, but he acted as if she had. "Alright, kiddo, let's get going!" He carried her over to the gate, where her carseat was locked into place on the stroller and strapped her in. He put the puppy's leash on, and Akamaru followed him to the gate. Kiba undid the latch, and they began their walk.

The puppy had yet to be named, but he was fairly good on the leash at this point. There was the occasional tug, but Kiba was able to correct him easily. He enjoyed his walks with the baby, since she would make cute little faces at him half the time. She also liked Akamaru a lot, and she always pulled on his fur and tail. The poor dog took it all fairly well, and had learned to ignore it. The puppy would generally pounce around the baby, but was never aggressive with her. Kiba wondered if they would get along when the baby was able to walk, but he brushed off that concern, seeing as how it was a good eight months away at the earliest.

The walk lasted about twenty minutes, and Yukari was beginning to nod off. Kiba woke her up, remembering what a nightmare she had been when he let her sleep on a walk. When she woke up, she had cried until he placed her in the stroller and took her on another walk. They'd been out walking for another half an hour, but no matter how long the walk was, she continued to cry until Neji had taken her to bed. Not wanting to deal with the tantrum, Kiba unbuckled her, and she went from being lethargic to snapping awake. He smiled, lifting her out of the carseat and giving her little Eskimo kisses. She giggled, and they went inside.

Tenten was helping Choji make dinner, and Sakura was leaning against the counter when they walked in. Sakura smiled and took the baby from Kiba, ignoring his protests. Yukari didn't necessarily like Sakura, but she didn't mind her, either. She shifted in the woman's arms, looking over to Kiba yearningly. He smiled and kissed her hairline, and Sakura checked her diaper. It was full, and Sakura led her daughter up to the nursery.

Yukari was placed on the changing table, and she stared at the ceiling as Sakura changed her diaper. Surprisingly enough, whenever she was changed by Sakura, she was calm, but whenever someone else so much as set her on the changing table, she cried until she was done being changed. Sakura finished quickly, and lifted the baby in the air for a moment. Yukari giggled, opening her mouth as she smiled and a small amount of drool fell onto Sakura's face. Grossed out, she placed the baby back to a regular position and wiped her face.

They went back into the kitchen, and Tenten took the baby. "Are you hungry sweetie pie?" Yukari smiled at her Mommy, placing her hands on Tenten's face. The latter laughed, and took her upstairs to feed her. Tenten made an effort to breast feed twice a day, and she always made sure that she had at least eight bottles ready in the fridge. It almost seemed that if she wasn't breast feeding, she was using a pump. Tenten sat on a chair in her bedroom that she shared with Neji. She positioned the baby and fed her, covering herself with a blanket. She sat there with the baby in her arms, and after twenty minutes, they were done and Tenten took her downstairs.

Neji and Sasuke had come home, and the former held his hands out for the baby. Tenten playfully pouted. "Aw, and here I thought you were happy to see me."

Neji laughed a little as Sasuke rolled his eyes. "That goes without saying. Besides, you aren't four months old, are you?"

Tenten laughed and handed Neji their daughter as Sasuke went to eat his meal before everyone else. Generally, Yukari would made a fuss if she was ignored for more than a minute, so one person would have to eat his or her meal separately to watch her.

Yukari snuggled her face into Neji's shoulder, giggling and hiding when she saw Tenten. Neji plucked a blanket from the top of the couch, and covered her face with it. Tenten played peek a boo with the baby. Neji laughed as he watched, stroking the side of Yukari's face and kissing her head. She didn't pay him any mind, laughing as Tenten kissed her hand. They continued like this for a while, before Choji came over.

"Hey, dinner's ready."

"We'll be there in a minute!" Tenten called over her shoulder. She turned back to the baby, "You'll be able to eat banana next week, and then you can sit with us at the table." Yukari made a shriek in response, and Tenten laughed. "You are just too cute!" Neji took her hand and led her into the kitchen, handing the baby over to Sasuke.

Yukari whimpered as she looked longingly at Neji. He smiled a little and kissed her nose. "I'll see you when it's bed time. Be good for Vati." Sasuke turned, and Yukari started to cry as he took her upstairs to the nursery.

He placed her on the floor, sitting next to her as she continued to cry. "Shhhh, stop crying before Vati gets a headache." She looked at him with furrowed eyebrows, and he smirked. "Don't give me that face." He ran his fingers up her sides, and she laughed loudly. For some unknown reason, whenever it was Sasuke that tickled her, she always laughed the loudest and had the most reaction. He rarely ever did that, but when she was being pouty, he felt it was the easiest way to get her to stop.

"Now that you're not crying, let's read a story." He lifted her off of the ground, and she leaned into him. She was starting to get tired, but he was going to try to keep her up for at least another hour and a half. Sasuke picked up a cardboard book, and began reading a rendition of the Three Little Pigs. Yukari would grab the book, trying to take it out of his hands, but he never let her have it. She whined, but he continued reading the story. When he finished, he let her gnaw at the book, and she leaned against him.

He held her for a moment and she craned her neck to look up at him. He gave her a small smile, stroking her fuzzy hair. She gave him an open mouthed smile, and he saw where little teeth were trying to push their way through. She reached up for his face, and he kissed the palm of her hand. Sasuke turned her around, carrying her downstairs.

Everyone was sitting on the couch, talking about some random subject, when Tenten saw the baby. She turned, holding out her arms, and Sasuke gave her the child. Yukari laughed happily when Tenten snuggled with her, kissing her face and saying how much she loved her. "I missed you my sweetie. Did you have fun reading stories?" The baby simply continued to smile, and Tenten kept talking to her. "Aww, you are just so sweet! Mommy loves you so much, baby."

Naruto got up, holding his hands out to take the baby. Tenten raised an eyebrow at him, as if to ask whether or not he was serious. Naruto stood his ground, but Tenten ignored him. "Say, 'I want to stay with Mommy!'"

"Say, 'Mommy needs to stop being so selfish and let Daddy hold me.'" At the sound of Naruto's voice Yukari turned around and gave him a large grin. She reached out in his direction, and with a triumphant smirk, he took her from Tenten. He set her down on the rug, playing with her for another twenty minutes, before the door opened and Ino walked in.

"Hey, sorry about coming in so late!" She said, turned quickly focused her attention on the baby.

"I thought you went to your house to stay with Shigeru."

Ino sighed. "I did, but when I got home he reminded me he was staying with my cousin and her boys tonight."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "It took that long to pick him up and drop him off?"

Ino laughed sheepishly. "Well, we ended up talking, and time flew by, you know?" The men just seemed to stare at her blankly, but Tenten nodded in understanding.

"It's fine. It's about time for Yukari's bath, anyways."

Ino smiled, walking over to the baby and lifting her up. Yukari smiled at her Mama, happy that she was there to give her more attention. Ino laughed, "You are just too cute! Lets go get you cleaned up, huh?"

Ino placed the infant tub inside of the bath tub, pulling out the basket of washes that were Yukari's. She tested the temperature of the water, and turned it off after the tub was a third of the way full. She pulled the baby's clothes off, and set her in the tub, gently pouring the water over her. Yukari loved bath time, especially with Ino. Something about the way she did the bath was more relaxing, and more fun to the baby, and Ino loved getting to spend the extra time with her. All too soon, Yukari was a wrinkled little raisin, and Ino reluctantly took her out of the tub and placed her in the hooded robe that Hinata had made her. She towels the baby off gently, rubbing some lotion over the freshly washed skin. The well moisturized baby was dressed in her pajamas, and Ino took her downstairs so Neji could put her down.

Reaching the living room, Ino sighed and turned to the baby. She kissed Yukari's cheek, "I love you, baby. I'll see you in the morning when the sun comes up." The child just sat there, enjoying the attention.

Kiba walked over to her and smiled. "Sleep well, kiddo! Love you!" He ruffled her peach fuzz like hair.

Naruto came up, holding his arms out to take her. "Goodnight my angel. Daddy loves you." He held her close to his chest, swaying slightly. It wasn't until Sasuke came over that Naruto was aware of his surroundings.

Sasuke placed his hand at the top of her head. "Sleep well, brat." He poked her forehead as Itachi had done to him as a kid. She blinked in surprise, but she was soon handed over to Neji.

She realized that he would make her fall asleep soon, and not quite ready to end the day, started to make a fuss. Her Papa felt her frustration, and took her upstairs to put her to sleep. By the time Neji had reached the nursery, Yukari was crying with full force. Tenten had followed him upstairs, kissing the baby goodnight before fleeing to their bedroom.

Neji sighed, sitting down in the rocking chair. He placed the baby's head on his shoulder, and she buried her face into him, reaching up and rubbing her eyes sleepily. "Shhhh, it's time to go to sleep." The soothing words had little effect, as Yukari continued crying. He sighed, and moved the chair into motion by pushing off with his foot. She was being stubborn tonight, so he began singing the first song that came to mind.

"_Goodnight, my angel, time to close your eyes,_

_And save these questions for another day._

_I think I know what you've been asking me,_

_I think you know what I've been trying to say_."

Neji spared a glance at the baby, seeing that she had half closed lids. Her eyelids fluttered open a little, and closed as he continued.

"_Goodnight, my angel, now it's time to sleep,_

_And still so many things I want to say,_

_Remember all the songs you sang for me_

_When we went sailing on an emerald bay?_

_And like a boat out on the ocean,_

_I'm rocking you to sleep._

_The water's dark,_

_And deep inside this ancient heart,_

_You'll always be a part of me_."

Yukari always would be a part of him, no matter what happened from this point on. She would always be his first baby, the first person he helped bring into this world, and she would always have his heart in her little hands. He stared at her peaceful sleeping face, continuing.

"_Goodnight, my angel, now it's time to dream,_

_And dream how wonderful your life will be._

_Someday your child may cry._

_And if you sing this lullaby,_

_Then in your heart,_

_There will always be a part of me_."

Would she eventually get married and have a child? Would she continue the legacy that he had started with her? Neji imagined himself, old and retired, watching an older Yukari singing her baby to sleep. He could only hope to be so lucky as to see her grow up, into a beautiful, strong kunoichi who had a loving husband and wonderful children. He wished to see that image become a reality, and prayed that he would always be a part of his daughter's life. He felt the words come to his lips, and the lyrics reflected what he had pondered moments before.

"_Someday we'll all be gone._

_But lullabies go on and on..._

_They never die,_

_That's how you_

_And I_

_Will be_."

Yukari was snuggled deeply into his side, curled up into a little ball, and he smiled as he watched her face. What a gift she had, to be so loved by so many, and to have her life filled with contentment. For her, there would only be endless support and love, and he knew that if he should meet his end in battle, she would be taken care of. He carried her to the crib, setting her down inside and kissing her cheek. She stayed asleep, her lips twitching upwards, and Neji silently pulled the side of the crib up.

"Goodnight, my angel." he whispered, turning the light off and heading to bed himself.

* * *

Tenten and Hinata scanned the racks of the Halloween store, searching for a baby costume for Yukari to wear. It was becoming increasingly difficult, because while some of the costumes were very cute, Tenten just didn't think they were cute enough for Yukari's first Halloween.

She picked up an angel costume. It was adorable to boot, with a sparkly halo at the top. The wings were feathery, and they didn't look too uncomfortable that Yukari wouldn't enjoy riding in the stroller. There was an iridescent silvery-white skirt underneath the white top, and it was ridiculously poofy. There weren't any shoes or tights, which the baby would need due to the autumn chill. Tenten looked at the price, and for thirty ryo, they could keep their angel costume!

Hinata came over, holding a black costume in a bag. Tenten smiled, giving it a quick look over, but sighed. "Kiba would be mortified if her first Halloween costume was a kitty. Actually, I don't think he'd let her out of the house in that."

Hinata sighed. "I forgot about Kiba, which is really sad, considering that he was my teammate for the longest time." She laughed a little, and Tenten joined in.

"Well, let's keep looking, I'm sure there are some other ones."

They walked down the aisle, passing many cute costumes. There were the run-of-the-mill lions, tigers, and bears, but nothing screamed 'Oh My!' to either of the women. Tenten saw something out of the corner of her eye, and she smirked, holding it up to show Hinata.

"If I were Ino, I would get this for her." A frilly pink princess costume was inside the bag on the hanger. The skirt had a lavender section in the middle, flanked by extremely glittery seams. The sleeves were poofy, as was the skirt, and there was a cone-shaped hat with ribbons spouting from the end. Hinata started cracking up.

"She would pick something like that, wouldn't she?!"

Tenten laughed as well, and Yukari stared at the women, wondering why they were so weird.

Hinata picked out another costume. "What about this... special thing?"

Tenten recovered from her fit of laughter to look at the contents of the bag. She swore that the cowhide stared back at her tauntingly, in all of its hideous glory. "Oh my God. Have you ever seen anything so ridiculous in your life?"

Hinata laughed. "I've seen fake abs on my son's costumes, but this kind of takes the cake."

An evil idea popped into Tenten's head. "What if we sent a picture to Ino and told her that this was the baby's costume?"

"I doubt you would be alive tomorrow if you did."

Tenten laughed. "That may be, but I'm doing it anyways!" She snapped the picture, sending it to Ino. Not a minute later, she received her response:

I'm going to kill you if you're serious.

She laughed, and showed it to Hinata, who laughed as well. She told Ino that no, she wasn't serious, but that there still weren't any good costumes. Putting her phone back into her pocket, she continued looking at the costumes.

Hinata laughed, pulling one out. "Naruto would pick this one for her." And indeed he would have- it was a bowl of ramen, complete with the naruto fishcakes on the side. They burst into hysterical laughter again, and Tenten wiped a tear from her eye.

"I didn't know they made costumes like that!" Her phone vibrated in her pocket, and she answered Sasuke's call.

"Where are you?" He questioned, not even attempting to hide the annoyance in his voice.

"I'm out shopping. I take it you're at home?"

"Yeah, and the baby isn't."

"Oh lighten up! She's going to develop demophobia if she never gets out into the public!"

"I'm aware of that, but I still don't like it when my kid's out in public without me."

Tenten sighed. "Well you're more than welcome to join us." The sarcasm dripped from her words.

She heard a groan on the other end. "Fine, where are you?"

"We're at that little Halloween store next to the police station."

"I'll be there in ten minutes." He hung up.

Hinata had an eyebrow raised. "Who was that?"

Tenten rolled her eyes. "Sasuke. He's annoyed that Yukari's in public without him, so he'll be here in ten minutes."

They continued to peruse the shelves, trying to find something cute for Yukari to wear, when a voice came from behind. "Remind me again what we're doing in this freak shop?"

Tenten turned, sighing in exasperation at Sasuke. "She needs something to wear for her first Halloween!"

He rolled his eyes. "Right. And so far what have you found?"

Tenten shook her head. "Nothing much."

Sasuke sighed. "How long have you been here?"

Tenten glowered at him. "Does it matter? I've been here for a while, and I'm not leaving until I find the baby a costume. Do I make myself perfectly clear?"

Sasuke glared at her. "You'd be wise to watch your mouth- I'm not a patient man."

"And I'm not a patient woman either, Uchiha. I'm staying here until I find what I want, and the baby stays with me. Got it?"

He scowled, knowing that if he tried to take Yukari, the baby would cry incessantly. The baby had a strong relationship with Tenten, far stronger than the one she had with Sasuke. At least, for now it was. He was confident that like every other little girl, she would become attached to him as her father figure, and disregard everyone else. It wasn't that he was being cocky, it was just that little kids really liked him, while babies... not so much. "Whatever, just make this quick. I don't want to be here any longer than I have to be."

Tenten smirked, triumphant. "Good. And while you're here, you should help us find a costume for her."

Sasuke rolled his eyes, grabbing the first costume he saw. It was a pumpkin suit. "What about this?" He didn't necessarily like the frill little thing, but he wanted to get out of there as soon as possible.

Both women turned around, and shook their heads. "Neji hates pumpkins."

Sasuke rolled his eyes, settling it back on the rack.

Tenten and Hinata picked up a costume, fawning over it before showing him. It was a little witch costume, black, purple, and lime green all over. Sasuke had very little concept of 'cute' and 'adorable,' so he didn't understand why they were getting so worked up over it. He shrugged, "I think it's just a costume, and that it shouldn't matter what she dresses as. It's not like she's going to remember it, anyways."

Tenten gave him an exasperated look. "Fine, you don't get it, but would you be able to get that stick out of your ass if she wore it on Halloween?"

SAsuke's eyes narrowed. "Watch your tongue, Tenten. I don't want her repeating those things."

She laughed without mirth. "Oh, that's pretty rich coming from you! I swear, you could make a sailor blush with the obscenities streaming from your mouth!"

"At least I have the decency to not say those things around her."

Tenten raised her eyebrow. "Oh really? Are you forgetting what happened last week?"

Sasuke blanched slightly. The week prior, he had received his list of genin for his team. There were these two kids whose names he kept forgetting, and Norio Hatake. The kid was such a brat, just as his father had said. Norio was cocky, rude, vulgar, and had no respect for others. Furthermore, he was a teenager, so spanking him or shoving a bar of soap in his mouth as punishment simply wouldn't work anymore. Sasuke sighed, wishing that he'd gotten Norio's younger sister, Kohana, instead.

After he'd gotten his list of genin, and had been officially introduced to his team, he had come home to unleash his anger in the form of a vulgar rant about 'little fucking bratty ass shits.' Yukari had been on the playmat in the room when he had said that, and Ino stood in the doorway, gasping at what he'd just said in front of the baby. In short, no one would ever let Sasuke forget that incident, and if Yukari so much as uttered a swear word, he would instantly receive the blame.

"Whatever."

Tenten smirked victoriously. "So, what do you say to the costume, yes, or no?"

Sasuke sighed. "I guess it's fine."

Tenten smiled viciously at him, bringing the item to be rung up at the register. They left the shop, and Tenten realized that she hadn't eaten since breakfast. Yukari had her bottle sometime while they were out, so she wasn't worried about the baby being starved, but she and Hinata were fairly famished.

"Hinata, where did you want to eat?"

Sasuke groaned. "Are you kidding me?"

Tenten raised her eyebrow. "No, I'm not. I haven't eaten since seven in the morning, and we've been shopping since nine."

Sasuke deadpanned. "It's three fourty-five, and you're telling me that you couldn't stop shopping long enough to get something to eat?"

Hinata laughed sheepishly. "Well, we kind of got carried away a little, but it's worse when we have Sakura and Ino with us."

"Oh yeah, that's right! How long was our longest spree, about ten, twelve hours?"

Hinata nodded. "Somewhere around there."

Sasuke rubbed the bridge of his nose in frustration. "Women are insane," he muttered under his breath. He looked back up to Tenten, "And Yukari?"

"She had her bottle a few hours ago."

Hinata looked around. "Why don't we get some Ichiraku to go?"

Tenten smiled. "That sounds good." They went over to the stand, ordering their food and walking towards the Hyuga compound after. Hinata stopped in front of her home, giving Tenten a tight hug.

"Thank you for inviting me along, it was so much fun!"

Tenten smiled as she pulled away. "No problem, thanks for tagging along! I had a lot of fun!"

The other smiled fondly. "Me too." She waved to the baby, "Bye baby! I'll see you soon!"

Yukari smiled at her godmother in response, but quickly went back to playing with her toys.

Hinata went into her house, and Tenten and Sasuke made their way back to the mansion. Yukari quickly became fussy, having only napped a little during the shopping spree. She started crying, and Sasuke took her out of the stroller. She buried her face into him sleepily, and he simply held her. "Did she sleep at all?" he asked in a low voice.

"No, not much I'm afraid. I tried to get her to sleep around noon, but she refused to go down."

Sasuke nodded in response. rubbing the baby's back to calm her down. It was futile, since she was so stubborn, but they were home. Yukari's crying gathered everyone's attention, and Naruto rushed over, taking her from Sasuke.

"Aww, my poor baby! Did your lame Vati make you sad? He did?! He does that to me, too. But it's ok, since Daddy's here." Sasuke smacked him upside the head.

"Idiot."

Yukari giggled as she reached up to touch Naruto's face, and as she put her fingers to his lips, he jokingly bit them, making eating sounds. "Mmmm, what a tasty baby!" She giggled happily at his playing, and Ino walked over to Tenten.

"Please tell me you didn't really buy that horrid cow suit."

Sakura raised her eyebrows. "What cow suit?"

Tenten laughed. "I sent Ino a picture of a cow costume, and jokingly told her that I was buying it for the baby."

Naruto laughed, "That is pretty funny."

Ino rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Anyways, I want to see the costume!"

Tenten smiled, pulling the costume out of the bag. Ino and Sakura squealed over how adorable it was, making jokes about how Yukari had everyone 'under her spell.' Shikamaru smiled at it, saying that it kind of matched Kanako's vampire costume. Shino's lips upturned in his version of a smile, and Choji chuckled at how cute it was. Tenten looked around the room, "Where are Kiba and Neji."

"I sent them out to get groceries." Choji responded. "Would it be ok if I spent tonight at my place? I know I was there last night, but I think Haruna misses me still."

Tenten shrugged. "Yeah, that's fine. If anyone else wants to go, go ahead. I think I've got this under control pretty well."

Shikamaru shrugged, "I guess if it's alright, I'll go back to my place as well."

Shino left quietly, patting Yukari on the head before leaving. She smiled as Shikamaru and Choji gave her an affectionate gesture before leaving as well. After they had been gone for a few minutes, Yukari demanded that Naruto play with her by pulling on his hair roughly.

"Ow, baby that hurts! Play nice!" He unmatched her fingers from his hair, and she giggled at his pain. "You're a little stinker, aren't you?!" She gurgled at him, responding vocally in the only way she could. Naruto laughed, kissing the tip of her nose tenderly before picking her up and taking her into the kitchen.

He looked at Tenten, "Are you breast feeding her tonight?"

The woman sighed. "I don't think so, but I have at least ten bottles already pumped in there, so if you just warm one of those up, she'll probably take it."

Naruto nodded, and pulled one out. Yukari fussed as she realized she was getting a bottle, and Naruto tried to calm her down. It was no use- she had burst into tears, and Naruto checked the temperature of the bottle. It was still too cold. He bounced the baby, trying to distract her, but all she wanted at this point was her bottle.

Checking the bottle again, it was finally warm enough for her, and Naruto pulled a bib onto her, sitting her upright. She reached out for her bottle, and he fed it to her. She drank the first half of it eagerly, but slowed down afterwards. When she was just playing with it rather than drinking it, Naruto took it away, burping her until she finally burped. Yukari had spit up quite a bit, but he had a towel to keep it off of his clothes. He looked at the baby, and she yawned and rubbed her eyes. He placed her head over his shoulder, trying to rock her, but as soon as he did that she started crying loudly.

Neji had just come through the door with Kiba in tow, and he saw the baby crying. Glancing at the clock, he saw that her bedtime was nearing.

Kiba groaned. "What did you do this time?"

Naruto's eyes narrowed. "Nothing, she's always like this around her bedtime."

Kiba looked at the clock. "Oh, well what do you know? It's already nine?"

Neji scowled. "Will the two of you just be quiet?" He turned to Naruto. "Let me get changed, and I'll put her down."

Naruto nodded, and Kiba went to sit down next to him. The two men tried to comfort the baby, but she was overly exhausted from her day out.

Tenten, Ino, and Sakura walked into the room. Ino went over and took Yukari, trying to cuddle with her, only to have the baby push her away. When Sakura attempted to hold her, the baby practically screeched, not wanting the woman's attention. Tenten was able to hold her and snuggle, but that did nothing to quiet the baby.

Sasuke came down, annoyed. "What is her problem?"

"She won't calm down. Neji said he'd be back to put her down, but that was ten minutes ago."

Kiba sighed. "Don't give him too much crap- I'm surprised he was able to walk after that mission. He took a really serious blow from the enemy, and he probably has at least three broken ribs. Hell, he probably has internal bleeding. The guy must've passed out upstairs."

Tenten, Ino, and Sakura rushed upstairs to tend to Neji's wounds. Sure enough, Neji had passed out, and the three of them hoisted him onto the bed. His chest was black, with several gnashes covering him. Sakura went to heal him, and though she had been able to heal most of the wounds, Neji would still have to be put on bed rest for the next week and a half. He woke up, and tried to get out of the bed, only to have all three women stop him.

"I have to put the baby down," he said, doing well to hide the pain he was in.

Tenten shook her head. "We'll take care of that- you're injured pretty badly."

Neji sighed. "You can't expect me to just sit here while the baby cries."

Ino shook her head. "You don't really have a choice, you're injuries are too severe for you to be moving at all."

Sakura nodded. "And you're not going on any missions for the next three weeks."

He rolled his eyes. "They're not that bad. I can manage."

Tenten raised an eyebrow. "Oh really?" She placed a hand on his chest, and while she hadn't been rough with him, she wasn't being all to gentle either.

He winced in pain, gritting his teeth as he let out a low groan of pain. "Was that really necessary?"

Tenten sighed, holding his hand tightly. "If you can't handle that, you can't handle a mission."

Neji sighed, knowing she was right. The women stayed upstairs with him, while Kiba, Sasuke, and Naruto were trying to put the baby to sleep.

Sasuke took Yukari from Kiba, glaring at him. "You moron, did you really expect her to go to sleep when you did that?"

Kiba scowled. "Listen Sasuke, I've had enough of your crap, so stop talking to me like I don't know anything about raising a child!"

Sasuke glowered. "You don't know anything about raising a child, neither of you do. A few months with ten people taking care of a baby doesn't make you very experienced with children."

Kiba scoffed. "Yeah, and you were really there for your kid, weren't you?"

Sasuke glared at him. "Shut up, you don't even know the half of it."

Naruto intercepted. "Guys, now isn't the time for all that! Let's just try to calm down and get Yukari to fall asleep, ok?"

Sasuke huffed, turning to the crying child in his arms. He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, forcing himself to calm down. He rocked the baby gently, trying to shush her. "Shhh, just go to bed."

Yukari had very little understanding of words, but the tone in his voice soothed her. She was still fussing quite a bit, but at least she had stopped screaming. Sasuke adjusted her head to rest on his shoulder, and she closed her eyes, finally settling down. Minutes passed, and her breathing had evened out. Her lips aere slightly parted as she slept, and every now and then her face would twitch.

Naruto stroked her fuzzy head, kissing her goodnight. Kiba tapped her nose gently, letting his hand rest on her cheek before removing it. Sasuke silently went upstairs, and walked into the nursery. He picked up a blanket, wrapping her snugly inside, before placing her inside the crib. He flicked her forehead softly, smiling a nit to himself.

"Sleep well, brat." He turned the stereo on, letting the music play softly, before turning off the lights. He closed the door, and went into Neji and Tenten's room. The door was open, but he courteously knocked to make them aware of his presence.

Neji raised an eyebrow. "What is it, Uchiha?"

Sasuke sighed. "Your mission had something to do with the ANBU murders, didn't it?"

Neji nodded, and Sasuke continued. "Were you able to find out anything?"

Neji sighed. "Not really, and that's what bothers me. I've memorized almost every ninjutsu out there, and know what all of them look like, and their effects, but this enemy is different."

Sasuke straightened up slightly. "What did it look like?"

"There were these black flames that were able to counter every attack we made. One of the others we went with was hit by it, as was I. No matter how many water style counter attacks we tried, they kept burning. The chakra level that this enemy possesses, is unlike any other I've seen. Even Naruto doesn't have nearly as much, even when he's under the influence of the Nine Tails."

Sasuke's eyebrows furrowed, and he frowned deeply. "Hn, I see. Other than that, you weren't able to gather any evidence?"

Neji sighed. "No. The autopsy results weren't helpful, either. Kiba and I tried to track down the enemy, but they are able to use some sort of teleportation technique,and the trail went cold."

Sasuke nodded. "And what of the police involvement. Do my father and Itachi know of this?"

Neji nodded. "Yes, they were the first backup on the scene."

Sasuke grunted. "I see. Thank you for sharing that with me."

Neji raised an eyebrow. "Sasuke," the other man turned. "What do you know of this?"

Sasuke left the room, "Nothing that you'd understand. Night."

* * *

It was Halloween, and Yukari was in her little witch costume, with Ino and Naruto taking hundreds of pictures of her. Shigeru and Katsuro had dressed up as Superman and Batman respectively. Sayuri was a butterfly, Kanako was a vampire, and Haruna was Little Red Riding Hood. The three older sisters were talking about how excited they were to spend Halloween with their baby sister, while the older brothers were making bets and wagering candy that they hadn't even collected yet.

Ino opened the front door, "Alright kiddos, let's go trick-or-treating!"

There was a shout of excitement among the kids, and they headed out to down the street. Yukari wasn't enjoying the outing, and she fussed and flailed in her stroller. She cried until they came to a familiar house.

Mikoto opened the door, smiling at how cute each of the children were. "Aren't you guys just the most adorable group I've seen?!" She passed out candy to each of them, secretly giving Katsuro more. She nearly squealed when she saw Yukari. "Oh, how precious are you?! Fugaku, come see the baby!"

The man got up from looking over the scroll, and looked at his granddaughter. He grunted. "She's cute." he said monotonously. Mikoto rolled her eyes at her husband's lack of enthusiasm, and gave the baby a lollipop.

"Happy Halloween, children. Be safe, alright?"

The kids nodded, running to the next house. Sasuke have his mother an appreciative wave, as he went after the kids.

The large group weaved through the neighborhoods quickly, and everyone seemed to fawn over Yukari, who was wary of the strangers.

They came up to the Nara mansion, and Yoshino opened the door, smiling fondly at her granddaughter. "Happy Halloween, Kanako! You're so scary, I just don't know what to do!"

Kanako smirked, and rawred, with her grandmother feigning terror. Shikamaru smiled, amused at the display between his mother and daughter. Yoshino turned to Yukari, smiling fondly. The baby squirmed in Neji's arms, unhappy that people seemed fixated on touching her and getting close to her face. Yoshino saw the baby's discomfort and backed off, placing a hard candy in the baby's bucket.

Shikamaru rubbed the back of his neck. "Sorry about that, Mom, but she's just not enjoying the night so far, you know?"

Yoshino waved it off. "It's fine, I can manage. Happy Halloween."

Shikamaru gave his mother a wave, continuing with the rest of the group. Yukari had more or less the same, grumpy demeanor with the Yamankas, the Akimichis, the Aburames, and the Inuzukas. As they arrived on Hiashi's front porch, Hinata answered the door. She smiled brightly, giving Tenten a knowing look.

"It looks cuter on her than we thought it would."

Tenten grinned, "I know, doesn't it?! Did Hiroaki take Hideaki tonight?"

Hinata shook her head. "No, Hideaki just didn't want to keep going after about ten houses or so."

Tenten nodded, and Hinata placed a lollipop in Yukari's pail. "Happy Halloween."

Hinata gave Neji and Tenten a bright smile. "Happy Halloween." They left the Hyuga manor, and headed to the Haruno's home.

The lights were turned off, but Sakura insisted that her parents see the baby. She knocked on the door, and her father answered. He smiled, making a bad joke which cause Sakura to face palm. Yukari started crying, since it was well past her bedtime, and Neji attempted to calm her down. Kizashi smiled nonetheless, and Mebuki came out to admire the baby. They gave the kids a large handful of candy each, and Yukari received a large lollipop as well. The Haruno's closed the door, bidding everyone a Happy Halloween.

The only remaining house was the Hokage's, and the kids were excited. Minato and Kushina were known around the village to put on a haunted house on Halloween, and the children of the village were always happy to go through with it. The entrance to the haunted house was open, with strobe lights flashing inside. To the kids, it was an exciting adventure. Kanako, Haruna, and Sayuri ran in excitedly, with Shikamaru chasing in after them, reminding the girls to be careful. Shigeru and Katsuro lingered behind, less adventurous.

Sasuke smirked, deciding to have a little fun with his son. "What are you waiting for, Katsuro? You're not afraid, are you?"

Katsuro looked to his Vati, puffing out his chest and putting on the bravest face he could- which wasn't very brave in the least bit. "N-no! Why would I be scared?! It's all fake... right?"

Sasuke faked a bit of fear. "I don't know, son, that bucket of blood back there looks pretty real to me. Why don't you go inside and find out?"

Katsuro gave his father a determined look, though he still shook with fear. "C'mon, Shigeru, let's go!"

Shigeru looked to his Mama, and she waved him on. "Why do I have to go?"

"You're not chicken, are you?"

"No!"

"Then let's go!" The boys ran into the haunted house, and the door slammed shut once they were inside.

Shigeru looked back, and Katsuro mimicked his action. It was dark and cold inside, with the strobe lights flashing in a way that made them dizzy. Shigeru looked to his friend. "Are you sure that this is a good idea, Katsuro?"

The other little boy nodded, "I'm positi-"

A dead body dropped down from the ceiling, and an ominous voice spoke: "Run all you want, escape is impossible now!"

The two little boys screamed, running through the maze as quickly as possible. At every turn, there was something terrifying to jump out at them, and eerie music was playing in the background.

Katsuro looked to his friend. "Where are the girls?!"

Shigeru shook his head. "I don't know, but I think we're gonna die!"

Katsuro started tearing up, as did Shigeru. Soon, they were both terrified, sobbing messes, and the haunted house shut off, turning into a regular garage-like building again.

Minato sighed, turning to Kushina. "I think we may have overdone it just a little."

She looked at the little boys, who were clinging to each other and sobbing hysterically. "Yeah, I agree. Should I go get Ino and Sasuke?"

Minato nodded, and Kushina left. He approached the two boys, tapping them on their shoulders. They screamed and ran, and Minato called out to them. "Katsuro, Shigeru, it's alright! The haunted house is gone!"

Shigeru shook his head, "I want my Mama!"

"Where's my Vati?! I'm scared!"

Ino and Sauke walked into the room, having hear their sons' cries for them. Ino rushed over, picking Shigeru up from the floor.

"Aw, it's ok Shigeru, none of it was real!"

He buried his head into Ino's chest and she rubbed his back soothingly.

Katsuro looked up, seeing his Vati on the other side of the room, and ran over to Sasuke. "Vatiiii!" He sobbed into Sasuke's legs, and the latter put his hand on his son's head. "I almost died! I'm so scared!"

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "You didn't almost die, Katsuro, none of that was real."

"But Vati, you said it looked like real blood!"

Sasuke sighed. "I was teasing you, Katsuro. Stop crying, you're fine."

The boy looked up pathetically. "Vati, please carry me?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes, but complied. "Seriously? You're that afraid?" All he received was as small nod, and his son clung to him.

Minato laughed nervously. "Sorry about this- we didn't think it'd scare them so much!"

Sasuke shrugged. "It's not your fault." They went outside, where the girls were talking excitedly about how cool the haunted house was. None of them seemed scared in the least bit; in fact, they were trying to convince their parents to let them do it again.

"It'll take too long, Kanako, and it's way past your bedtime already."

"But Daddyyyyy-"

"No buts. Say thank you to Lord Hokage and Lady Kushina for letting you inside."

The little girl pouted, and did as she was told. Kushina smiled, and gave each of the children a large handful of candy. She looked at her granddaughter, who was angrily fussing in Tenten's arms.

"Is she not having a good Halloween?"

Tenten sighed. "Apparently not. She's been angry all night, I think she just doesn't like having to see so many strangers around her, you know?"

Minato smiled. "I know. May I see her?" Tenten nodded, and gave the baby over to him.

Minato and Kushina started cooing at the baby, and she pouted. After a while, she closed her eyes, resting her head on Minato's shoulder. He smiled, handing her over to Neji.

"Happy Halloween."

The group set off, back to the mansion. The kids were spending the night, each of them sleeping in their parents' bedrooms.

Neji and Tenten changed Yukari into her pajamas, setting her in the crib.

Tenten smiled, "Happy Halloween, baby."

* * *

November passed quickly, and soon, it was December. Yukari had started to develop the art of making babbles, and was now sitting up on her own. Tenten's parents were the most frequent visitors, and Yukari had grown very attached to them. Of course, her other grandparents visited, but Tenten's parents were over almost every day.

The fall had passed, and as the winter snows began to fall, Tenten had started putting up Christmas decorations around the mansion. Long lines of faux wreaths were wrapped around the banners on the stairs, with mistletoe hanging in every doorway. A large Christmas Tree hung in the corner of the living room, decorated with plastic ornaments, just in case Yukari pulled them off of the tree. In general, there wasn't very much going on, until later in the month, with many Christmas Parties and celebrations being planned.

The Hokage's Holiday Party had arrived sooner than expected, and Ino was hurriedly dressing Yukari. Her hair was finally long enough to be put into a bow, one that was festively decorated in red and white. The little dress she had on was red at the top, with a white skirt. She wore white tights and black dress shoes, and she was cute enough to count as a Christmas present herself. Ino smiled, and carried the baby downstairs.

Tenten sighed in exasperation. "Finally! What took you so long?!"

Ino handed her the baby. "Sorry, I just wanted to make sure she looked presentable."

Tenten rolled her eyes. "Whatever, lets just get going, ok?" She pulled Yukari's winter jacket on, and they rushed out the door.

Shikamaru groaned. "God, you took forever. What a drag! Now we're all late to the Holiday Party."

"Sorry, it just took awhile to get little missy over here ready."

"Whatever, lets just get going." Sasuke turned, and Ino went to his side and leaned against him, and he wrapped an arm around her shoulder.

When they arrived at the party, everyone seemed to want to hold Yukari. She offended many people, though, since she would cry when they so much as looked at her. She had finally allowed the Uchiha elders to hold her, but had started trying to push away from them as soon as Sasuke had let her go. She was starting to fall asleep in Sasuke's arms, and his aunt had tried to kiss her face. She put her hands out, pushing his aunt's face away rather harshly, and Sasuke chided her for that.

Mikoto saw her youngest son, and strut over to him. She smiled as she hugged Sasuke in greeting and kissed his cheek. "You're late, darling. Did everything go well this evening?"

Sasuke sighed and shifted his hold on Yukari. "I'm sorry about that, mother, but apparently it takes half an hour longer to get this one ready."

His mother smiled. "Well, she looks beautiful as always." Mikoto's smile made Yukari giggle, and she buried her face into Sasuke's shoulder in feigned shyness. When Mikoto held her hands out, Yukari instantly reached for her grandmother, and Sasuke handed her over. Mikoto held the baby closely, hugging her tightly and giving her a shower of kisses on her face. Yukari loved the attention, and happy little gasps and squeals came from the baby.

Fugaku walked over, and Yukari quieted as soon as she saw him. Her grandfather scared her a little, and she started to whimper when he was next to her. Mikoto bounced the baby, shushing her and trying to soothe the fear. For whatever reason, be it his demeanor or something else, the baby was afraid of Fugaku. He never really did anything to her, and he rarely held her, but Mikoto was upset that her only granddaughter feared her husband.

Yukari cried loudly as Fugaku pat her head, and Mikoto tried cooing to her. Yukari looked to her Vati, reaching out for him, and Sasuke ignored her and kept talking to his father. The baby screamed, and Sasuke slightly glared at her. "Yukari, be quiet. Vati's talking." He tried to continue his conversation, but the baby's crying had drawn too much attention, and he reluctantly took her. She cried onto his shoulder quietly, and rubbed her face on his shirt sleepily.

"Is she tired?" Mikoto asked. Maybe it was just the exhaustion, and not a fear of Fugaku, causing the little one to cry?

"Most likely. We've been running errands all day, so she hasn't really had the chance to lay down yet. She started nodding off a little while ago, but half the time taking a nap makes her even more upset." Yukari looked up at her Vati, sticking her bottom lip out pathetically. He sighed, starting to rock her again, as Katsuro ran up with Toshio behind him.

"Vati, you're here! Why was baby sister crying so loudly?" He looked up at Yukari, and she leaned in his direction, wanting her older brother.

Sasuke shrugged. "She's just really tired is all. Poor thing won't be going to sleep until late this evening." He knealed down to his son's level, handing the baby to her brother. "Why don't you go and play with her for awhile?"

Katsuro nodded, happily taking his sister over to where he, Toshio, and Shigeru had been playing. She was kind of heavy for him, but he was determined that he would hold his baby sister and no one else would! To Katsuro, his baby sister was the most important person to him, next to his Vati of course! She would never leave him the way his Mommy did, and she always seemed to smile and laugh when he was around. Katsuro was also really protective of his sister, and he sometimes refused to let other people so much as touch her, afraid that she wouldn't like them or something. It was weird though, since she never liked Grandpa, and he was an ok guy, right? Shaking his head, he placed his sister in the middle of the circle he, Shigeru, and Toshio had formed.

Shigeru saw them approach, and he smiled at his baby sister. Whenever he was with his Mama at the mansion, he would play with her until she got boring. Sometimes, Mama would take the two of them up to her bedroom, and read stories to them on the lounge chair. The baby would sometimes fall asleep, but one time, she almost ripped a book in half. Plus, she would always try to chew his arm, and it would become slimey with her slobber, and then she would dirty her diaper and smell really bad for a while. Still, it was kind of cool to be a big brother, and a lot of his friends wanted to see the baby, so she had made him sort of popular at the ninja academy.

Toshio smiled at his baby cousin. To the eight year old, she was kind of fun to play with. Sometimes, he and Katsuro would hide her in the house, and pretend that she needed to be rescued from an evil ninja enemy. It was really fun, but one time they forgot where they hid her, and Itachi found her in the closet in his study. Toshio had gotten a really painful spanking that day, and his Vati lectured him for a long time about responsibility and all that. Now, whenever they played with the baby, Toshio was extra careful, and always knew where Yukari was.

Itachi scanned the room again, looking for his son, when he finally spotted him behind a chair in the lounge area. He walked over, and placed a hand on the boy's shoulder, causing him to jump. Toshio turned around, "Hi Vati!"

Itachi looked down, and saw the baby surrounded by throw pillows and blankets, obstructed from view. He raised an eyebrow, turning to his son. "What are you doing to the baby?"

Toshio laughed nervously. "She started crying, but the enemy was getting close, and we had to keep her quiet so she wouldn't give away our location, so we hid her away from them, but she kept crying, so we covered her with pillows so that no one would hear her!"

It took a moment for Itachi to decipher what the boy had explained, and he shook his head, placing it in his palm and sighing. "You can't cover a baby's head with pillows, Toshio. That's dangerous, and it makes a mess. I want you to clean this mess up, and go back to the table. Your mother was looking for you." He walked over to the mountain of pillows, lifting Yukari out of it. "Katsuro, I want you to help, too. And Shigeru, your mother wanted to see you." He carried his niece away from the three boys, all of them wearing miserable expressions.

Yukari looked up at her uncle, grinning brightly at him and squealing in delight. Itachi smiled back at her, gently kissing her head. He loved his niece dearly, and she clearly returned the affection. She always had liked him, since the moment he first held her, and he had become enamored with spoiling her. Sasuke jokingly blamed him for making the baby such a brat, since she constantly wanted attention, and was stubborn about getting her way.

Masumi saw her husband and niece, and she smiled at them. Yukari was far too focused on Itachi to notice her aunt, but when the baby saw her, she smiled and hid her face in Itachi's shoulder. Masumi laughed, kissing her niece's face when she was close enough. "Hi there, sweetie!" She turned to her husband, "Did you find him? His food is getting cold."

Itachi sighed. "I found him burying this one in pillows," he groaned slightly. "Sometimes, I wonder about him."

Masumi laughed. "All children are like that, dear, just remember that."

Itachi smiled, remembering when their younger cousin had been over one day. While the kid was sleeping, Sasuke had tried to bury the child with his toys, and when their father had gone to wake the baby, Sauke had been spanked into oblivion. Itachi chuckled, shaking his head as he remembered all of his brother's antics. "Yes, I suppose they are."

Yukari had been trying to grab his hair, and during his reverie, she had managed to get a hold of his bangs. She squealed, pulling hard, but as soon as she was able to take delight in her minor victory, Itachi had freed his hair. She pouted, reaching up again, and he tapped her nose. "Play nice, sweetie." She grabbed his hand, attempting to put it in her mouth, and became frustrated when he didn't allow her to do that, either. Itachi poked her stomach, and she curled in on herself. Masumi laughed, doing the same as her husband, and getting the same reaction. The two of them kept playing with the baby, and a short while later, Toshio came over miserably.

"I'm done, Vati." He looked over to his mother. "What did you want, Mom?"

Masumi smiled gently at him. "Your dinner is ready. Go wash up so you can eat."

"But Mom, I'm not hungry!-"

"Toshio," Itachi gave his son a stern look, the tone in his voice ending any arguments. "Listen to your mother." The boy trotted off sadly, and Itachi looked at his niece. "Don't follow his example, ok?" She gurgled in response, and saw Neji walking by.

Yukari made a noise, and Neji turned. He gave Itachi a curt nod, and the latter. Gave him the same gesture. "Thank you for watching her, Itachi. I hope she wasn't too much trouble?"

Itachi shook his head. "Not at all. She's a pleasure to watch." Yukari grinned at him from her perch in Neji's arms, and he smiled fondly at her. "I suppose Sasuke has already informed you of Christmas brunch at my parents' home?"

Neji nodded. "Yes, he has, and I'll have to ask Tenten about that. She's the one who would know about the scheduling."

Itachi nodded. "Alright. Have a nice evening, and Happy Holidays."

Neji bowed slightly. "Thank you, and the same to you and your family." He walked away, heading towards where Hinata had last been standing.

She turned and smiled, holding her arms out for her goddaughter. Yukari made an excited noise when Hinata held her, loving the amount of attention she got. Whenever Yukari was around people that weren't her parents, receiving attention was a really big deal, if only for the reason that she didn't see them all the time.

Hanabi came over, smiling at her younger cousin. "Hey runt, how's it going?"

"Don't talk to the baby that way!" Hiashi scolded from behind, regarding the baby. She didn't seem to have warmed up to him at all- in fact, she looked like she was about to cry. He looked over to Neji, who had been joined by his fiance and cleared his throat. "I trust that the two of you and the child will be able to make it to dinner Christmas eve?"

Tenten nodded. "Yes, though we might be a bit late- the Inuzuka clan had something going on as well."

Hiashi's eyes narrowed. "And are they aware of the custody agreement? The other clans seem to have the child more often than the Hyuga do..."

Tenten gave him a firm look. "Lord Hiashi, I assure you that Yukari's time with the clans is very well balanced. The people she sees the least are the Haruno's and my parents, as a matter of fact."

He glared at her slightly, but quickly brushed it off. "No matter. We can count on your attendance, then?"

Neji nodded, "Yes, Uncle, we shall be there."

Hiashi gae them a glance, walking away. Hideaki came running over, and slammed into his grandfather's legs. Hiashi reached out, steadying the child, before giving his grandson a small smile. "You must be careful, Hideaki. These floors are not suited for running, and we don't want you getting hurt, now do we?"

Hideaki beamed. "Of course not, Grandfather! I was just excited to see my baby cousin! Did you see her?"

"Indeed, i did."

"Isn't she pretty?! I thought all babies looked like they came out of dinosaur eggs, 'cause they're all red, and wrinkled, and slimey, but Yukari is cute! Don't you think so?"

Hiashi nodded. "Yes, I do." He put his hand on his grandson's head. "I must be on my way. be careful, my child."

Hideaki smiled. "'Kay. I love you, Grandfather!"

"And you as well."

Hideaki turned to see his Mommy snuggling with the baby. As he got closer, he could overhear the cooing she did to his baby cousin. "Aren't you just the cutest thing?!" She kissed the baby's head, and Yukari placed her hand on Hinata's cheek. "Aw, you're so precious!" Hideaki scrambled to get to his Mommy's side, and as he reached her, he heard her say the most heartbreaking phrase: "I love you so much, my baby!"

Neji noticed his godson sitting on his knees, looking sullen. He strode over to the small boy, only to see him about to burst into tears. "Hideaki, what's wrong?"

The floodgates burst open, and Neji picked the child up, trying to shush him and soothe his tears. "What happened? What's the matter?'

Hideaki mumbled something unintelligible, and Neji pulled his thumb out from his mouth. "I'm sorry?"

"M-Mommy d-doesn't-t love me a-any-y-more! She j-just loves b-baby-y cousin!" He pressed his head against his uncle's shoulder, relentlessly sobbing. Hinata gave Yukari to Tenten, and went over to her son.

"Baby, I love you more than anyone in the world! Why would you think I didn't?"

"You just said that you love baby cousin, and that she's the cutest, and that she's precious, and you just won't say that you don't love me anymore!" He thrust his thumb into his mouth, and Hinata let him have it. She held him close to her chest, and Hiroaki came over.

"Is he alright?"

Hinata nodded. "Just upset."

"Over what?"

"He thinks I love the baby more than him."

Hiroaki nodded in understanding, bending over to kiss his son's head. The boy paid him no mind, simply carrying on with his fit.

Hinata lifted her son's head with her fingers, moving over to a chair. "Hideaki, listen to Mommy,-"

"No!-"

"Yes." He looked at her, surprised that her voice had become so firm. She never yelled at him, or scolded him, or spoke to him in any way that wasn't completely gentle and loving. She really did love the baby better! Just as he was about to start crying again, she spoke. "You are my son, my only son, and my only baby- I love you more than I could ever say. You are the reason I wake up in the morning, and the reason I'm happy when I come home from missions. You're the reason I have pleasant dreams at night, and the reason why I have so much laughter and joy in my life. Most importantly, you're the reason for my life now- I will do everything it takes to protect you and make you happy. I would give everything- the village, the clan, and even my life- just to make sure you were safe. I love you more than the sun has risen and set; I love you to the end of the universe and beyond; I will love you until my life is over, and even then, I will send my love to you from the afterlife. Nobody can change that- not Uncle Neji, or Daddy, or your baby cousin." She kissed his forehead. "And just to make sure you understand me, I'll say it again: I love you so much, Hideaki, my precious baby."

The child stared at his mother, tears filling his eyes to their brim before spilling over. His mouth was agape, and he tried to fight the sobs that came to his lips. He threw himself into his mother's chest, crying freely now, but out of happiness instead of his earlier despair. Hinata, held him close to her, rocking him as he cried. She knew her father disapproved of these types of displays, saying that Hideaki would never toughen up enough to take lead of the clan, but Hinata disagreed with her father. She needed her son to know that she loved him, and that she would always support him. She saw it vitally important that she spent this time with Hideaki, in the way that her mother had spent with her. If it had not been for her mother, Hinata would have never held up to the high expectations she had as heiress, and she would do everything to ensure that her son knew his mother would always be there for him.

Hanabi had observed the entire scene silently- a first for her. She cleared her throat, and spoke. "I think the same of both you and your baby cousin Hideaki." He looked up at her with hope in his eyes, and she smield at him. "I think you're both pretty adorable... for runts!" She snickered evilly, and Hideaki complained to her.

"Auntie, you're so mean! I'm one of the tallest kids in my class- and I'm going to be a lot taller than you one day!"

"Whatever, pipsqueak!"

He laughed, chasing her around the room as she jokingly fled from him, feigning fear. Hinata laughed, grateful that her sister was sassy for the first time in her life. She watched as they ran around, with Hanabi eventually giving in to her nephew. Neji sat down next to her.

"Do you think that their relationship will grow problematic in the future?"

Hinata sighed. "I don't think so- he's only five, so it's easy to understand that he misinterpreted what I was saying to the baby."

Neji nodded. He got up to move to a different part of the room. He hugged Hinata goodbye, thanking her for spending time with the baby. She smiled, and bid him, Tenten, and the baby goodbye.

Tenten scanned the crowd, looking for the familiar, poufy hair, when she felt a tap on her shoulder. Turning, she saw Temari, and she hugged her with one arm.

"I was looking for you! How have you been?!"

Temari smirked. "Same here. We probably would have found each other sooner if you hadn't been so late."

"Whatever! It takes a while to get her ready," Tenten held Yukari out to her godmother and the baby simply stared at the woman.

Temari frowned a little, faking sadness. "Do you not remember me? Oh! I'm so hurt!"

The baby smiled a little, and peered around Temari's shoulder to stare at Gaara and Kankuro. The latter smiled and waved at her, trying to get her attention, but the baby only had eyes for the Kazekage, who gave her a small smile.

Temari followed Yukari's gaze. "Do you wanna go see Uncle Gaara?" The baby simply continued to stare at him, so Temari handed her over.

Gaara looked down at the adorable little bundle in his arms, smiling slightly. Unlike his sister, he didn't have the liberty to leave the village very often, so he hadn't seen Yukari since a few days after her birth. Even then, she had seemed to like him, from the way she stared at him so intently. Now, she showed an absolute and utter fascination with him, and he couldn't help but smile. Unlike the people of his village, he hadn't had to earn her love or affections- she simply gave it to him. She placed so much trust in him without doing anything significant, and he would make sure that it wasn't misplaced.

She squealed in delight at his smile, reaching out to touch his lips. His smile widened, and he kissed her hand, causing her to erupt in giggles. Pulling her close to his chest, he held her tightly for a moment, savoring the feeling of someone loving him so unconditionally. Yukari leaned her head on his shoulder, and he turned to kiss the top of her head.

Temari and Tenten cooed at the baby. "You two are so cute together!" Tenten fawned.

Temari nodded in agreement, taking a picture of them on her phone. Gaara glared at his older sister, but remained where he was.

"Hey Gaara, you're not the only one who gets to hold the baby, you know." Kankuro complained. Of the three of them, he got to see the baby the least. Sure, he wasn't a godparent or anything, but the kid was adorable! He'd always loved kids, and they liked him ok, but this one was special for some reason. Maybe it was because it was Tenten's? After all, she had become extremely close to his family. Whatever the reason, Kankuro loved Yukari as if her were her uncle, and it just wasn't fair that everyone else had a chance to hold her!

Gaara was feeling selfish. "I might not be the only one who gets to hold her, but at this moment, I'm the only one she wants to hold her."

Kankuro glared at his younger brother, and looked to the women for assistance. It was of no use- they were laughing insanely. He growled in annoyance as Neji came over and handed Tenten a drink. Neji looked to see Gaara holding his daughter, and gave the latter a curt nod.

"How have things been in the Sand Village?"

Gaara nodded. "They've been well. After the party, I'd like for you to join myself and my siblings as we speak to the Hokage. You as well, Tenten."

Tenten didn't like the serious tone he'd take on. "Can we at least run home to put the baby down? She'll be so exhausted by then- just look at her!"

Everyone else spared the baby girl a glance, and she was sound asleep against Gaara's shoulder. He shrugged. "I'm sure the Hokage won't mind his granddaughter being there- this may concern her safety."

Neji's eyebrows narrowed. "I suppose the others have been informed of this as well?"

Temari nodded solemnly. "I've made sure of that. The clan heads will be there as well."

Tenten looked to the floor. When had her baby's safety been placed in jeopardy? Was it relevant to the recent string of ANBU murders? Or maybe the Akatsuki was onto her true identity? Worse, what if Orochimaru was trying to get to her?! Horrible what-if scenarios began running through her mind, when she felt a hand grab hers. She jumped, and saw Neji giving her a reassuring look.

"It'll be fine, Tenten. We're going to eliminate this threat once and for all. Yukari will be safe." The edge in his voice did little to soothe Tenten's nerves, but she nodded and forced herself to relax.

Gaara looked down at his sleeping goddaughter, stroking her hair gently. He would do as much as he could to protect her, and would even go so far as to send his village into war for her sake. Yukari twitched suddenly, waking herself up. She looked around and began to cry.

Neji took her, shushing her softly as he rocked her. Recognizing the feel of his hold, she looked into his face, and started to calm down. She slept on and off for the remainder of the evening, and the official festivities were over quickly enough.

Everyone made their way to the Hokage's office, and Neji rocked Yukari gently, trying to lull her back to sleep. She was being stubborn, and cried softly, but Neji persisted with his attempts. Minato sat down at his desk, rubbing the bridge of his nose in irritation. He cleared his throat, and began the meeting.

"As you are all aware, The ANBU murders that have occurred over the past year and a half have slowly been depleting our forces, and we are now being forced to use increasingly limited forces to accomplish harder missions. As a result, this struggle to keep ourselves afloat is costing us dearly, in terms of military numbers, economic means, and retaining our status as a powerful village.

However, the ANBU murders have become international, as seen with last month's slaughter near the border with the Hidden Grass Village." The entire room fell silent, remembering the gore that had happened. To make it even worse, the attackers hadn't just killed the ANBU- they'd killed all of the people living in the countryside. What they had done to the children was the worst- they left one child alive after brutally abusing and raping her, and they'd tortured her mentally. They had apparently taken the rest of the children towards the Sound Village. In an attempt to save them, the ninja had led a rescue mission, only finding that every last child had been slaughtered just as brutally. It was unclear of whether or not the Grass Village had any part in it, which was the most terrifying part of it all.

Minato continued. "There have been ANBU slaughters in all of the villages that I've corresponded with, and they've all had the same pattern of attacks. The ones who were slaughtered were those who were sent for reconnaissance, generally pertaining to the activities of Orochimaru and the Akatsuki. It'd be easy to say that we could target both of them at the same time with a joined shinobi force, but unfortunately, that's easier said than done.

The Akatsuki's activity has been far too quiet for it to be good news. They're up to something, and rest assured, if we don't take action soon, it will destroy us. All of us." He looked down as he muttered the last part, and spared a glance at his granddaughter. She was asleep, blissfully unaware of the danger she was currently in. Minato sighed, forcing himself to finish.

"Their last activity was confirmed two years ago. There have been no confirmed links to the ANBU murders, seeing as how the way in which they were murdered don't match up to any of the current Akatsuki members. The link is uncanny, however- there is no way that those who were killed died merely from coincidence.

It is my belief that they are in correspondence with Orochimaru. However, his activity has been just as low as that of the Akatsuki. There have been no sightings of him, and there are no records of his whereabouts for the past year and a half. Jiraiya has been personally communicating to me his observations, and from what little he has been able to find, I have it in good confidence that Orochimaru has found a way to slip under our radar."

The silence took over once again, and Tenten became slightly afraid. She knew what was about to be said, but she didn't want it to be true. There had to be some sort of mistake- there just had to! Her baby couldn't be targeted- she wasn't even a year old yet! Only those who had access to classified information even knew who she was, and there were only a handful of them.

Minato confirmed her fears. "We have received a message from an unknown source, but one confirmed to be affiliated with both the Akatsuki and Orochimaru. They both know about Yukari."

Tenten couldn't help it- she burst into tears before the words left the Hokage's mouth. What could they possibly want with her?! She was a baby- not even old enough to be considered a threat to them! She felt Temari holding her, and Neji gripped her hand tightly.

"She's just a baby! How could she possibly harm them?! What could they possibly want with her?!" Tenten screeched, not holding back her fury.

"It's not what they're afraid of losing- it's what they intend on gaining." Minato looked out the window. "It has been several years since the Akatsuki have obtained a Jinchuriki, and it's only a matter of time before they start attempting to collect the last one."

Naruto and Kushina stiffened, knowing exactly what that meant. Minato continued, noticing the expressions on his wife's and son's faces. "By having the Nine-Tail's chakra sealed into two separate people, it makes it that much harder for them to actually finish obtaining the power they seek.

The plan of the Akatsuki leader is to reincarnate the Ten Tails by combining the chakra of all of the tailed beast into one Jinchuriki. The last time this happened was with the Sage of the Six Paths, the one believed to be the ancestor of both the Senju and the Uchiha Clans, and since the Uzumaki are considered distant relatives of the Senju, Yukari's body could be forced into becoming host to the beast."

Sasuke glared at the Hokage. "What do you mean by 'her body'? If she becomes the host, other than concerns for exploiting her power, what could happen?"

Minato continued to stare out the window. "What I meant by that is that Orochimaru has been seeking a new host to become his body. In general, he has only selected individuals that have possessed a rare kekkei genkai. With his newfound knowledge of Yukari, a child who has potentially inherited all of the village's greatest kekkei genkai, she would be the most suitable to become his new body, in his mind. In addition, with the partnered Akatsuki goal of creating a new Sage of Six Paths, her power could be the undoing of us all."

Kiba growled under his breath. "So what are we going to do to protect her from this? Obviously, there's too much invested in her potential to obtain great power for us to just let this go."

Minato nodded. "I have called a meeting of the Kages in the hopes that, when it comes down to a war, which it will, both the Akatsuki and Orochimaru will be defeated. The meeting takes place three months from now."

Sakura glared at him. "Oh, and what are we supposed to do for the next three months knowing that our baby is in danger?! Prepare her to become Akatsuki bait?!"

Ino glared at her. "Sakura, shut the hell up!"

"No, Ino, I won't just sit here copacetically while my daughter's life is on the line!"

"Enough, both of you, your shouting will wake the baby!" Shikamaru said harshly.

Minato's face hardened. "I know you may not believe it, but I don't enjoy the thought of my granddaughter's life being endangered. Believe me, not only as Hokage, but as a grandparent, I want this threat eliminated as soon as possible." He looked up, his eyes glistening with the possibility of tears falling.

Hiashi spoke. "Minato, I assume you want this information to be kept as confidential as possible?"

The Hokage took in a deep breath. "Yes. Tell no one outside of this room of what we spoke about, no matter how trustworthy you think they are. The enemy is trying to use our emotional attachment to Yukari to disrupt our logic. Let's not give them that satisfaction, agreed?"

"Agreed."

Minato nodded. "Alright. I will inform you all of the meeting's verdict in three month's time."

As the room began to filter out, Tenten spoke up. "Wait. Lord Hokage?"

He turned, and attempted to give her a reassuring smile, but it fell short on his face. "Yes?"

Tenten forced her breathing to even out. "The other Kage... Are they to be made aware of Yukari's existance?"

Minato shook his head. "The only other Kage who will ever know who she is, is Gaara."

Tenten nodded, and turned to the Kazekage. He placed his hands on her shoulders. His minty green eyes were filled with sincerity, dedication, and protectiveness that she didn't know he had. "I swear that as Kazekage, and as Yukari's godfather, that I will do everything that I possibly can to protect her. I give you my word, that I would sacrifice my life for her."

Tenten smiled, and hugged him tightly in gratitude. He held her as she wept for the danger her baby was sure to face, and she cried for awhile. When she finally calmed down, she turned to see Temari and Kankuro, giving her the same amount of dedication that their brother had just shown. She hugged them both gratefully.

As she was about to pull away from Temari, the latter whispered in her ear. "I swear to you as the closest thing I have to a sister- I will go through Hell and back to protect Yukari. You have my word."

Tenten pulled away, "Thank you."

She left the Hokage's office, walking home alone. She hurried, desperate to get out of the cold, snowy weather and see her daughter- just to make sure that the baby was still alright.

She unlocked the front door, and found that everyone had waited up for her. Tenten gave them all a weak smile. "Is the baby asleep?"

Neji nodded. "Yes, and with the newfound risk to her safety, we were just creating a new seal for her doors."

Tenten looked at the table, seeing that Naruto had crafted some intricate design on sealing paper. He turned, smiling softly at her. "The last thing we needed was a chakra signature from you."

She nodded, placing her hand where Naruto had instructed. She focused her chakra into her hand, spreading it evenly and feeling as the seal absorbed it. It was an odd feeling- hot and cold at the same time, neither painful nor pleasant, and kind of like her hand was falling asleep. Naruto gave her the next paper, and she did the same thing until all of the papers had her chakra signature on it.

She sighed, looking at the fire that had been made, probably by Sasuke. The only stocking that hung over it was Yukari's, and though it was empty now, it would be filled with presents come Christmas morning. The grand Douglas Fir that they had bought also stood proudly in the corner, boasting many presents. The shadows cast by the fire danced merrily on the ornaments, making them sparkle in an almost magical way. They would flit around tauntingly, giving flickers of orange light to the surroundings of the room. She leaned her head against Neji's shoulder, and he wrapped an arm around her, rubbing her arm comfortingly.

Ino sat in Sasuke's lap on an armchair, leaning against his chest. He put his arms around her waist, enjoying the peace and quiet for a moment. He glared slightly at the flames, angered over how his child had been endangered so easily- for reasons she couldn't possibly help. Not only did Sasuke have concerns about threats outside of the village, but inside as well. The elders always had some sort ulterior motive- especially Danzo. The man had tried to manipulate Itachi into spying on the Uchiha, and had attempted to take Shisui's eyes from him. Of course, no one outside of the main household and the elders knew of the incidents, but Sasuke still worried. Even if Orochmaru and the Akatsuki were to drop down dead tomorrow, he would still fear for his daughter's life. The head ninja of the Hidden Cloud had attempted to kidnap Hinata to steal the Byakugan, and the Uchiha were well known and feared throughout the Ninja world. If it was ever found out who she really was, the threats were infinite, and surely, someone was going to exploit her power.

Neji shared the same concerns, and for the first time since she'd been born, he silently wished that Yukari would show no talent for being a ninja. She would never have to go through the Academy, and never leave on missions. She would be able to remain in the village for her entire life, protected by the many people that loved her. Of course, he also feared what may happen should his wish be granted. Simply because she might not show any power, it was still there, dormant inside of her, and even if she herself couldn't use it, that didn't mean someone else couldn't. If she didn't know how to defend herself, protecting her could cost many lives, and she would be more likely to die.

Neji wished that he could guarantee that she would always have one of her parents with her, but sadly, he could not. Ino, Shikamaru, Choji, and Shino all had their own clans to protect, and other children to think of, and when considering the second point, Sasuke was out of the mix as well. Sakura was a medic, and her presence would be vitally important on the battlefield. The Inuzuka were part of the first line of defense for the village, and Kiba ultimately would not be spared from this obligation. Not only was Naruto the Hokage's son, but he had half of the Nine Tail's sealed within him- it was best to separate him and Yukari if the battle were to happen. Neji sighed, and knew that he himself would have the obligation to protect the main branch of the Hyuga family, and that only left Tenten. While she was incredible in battle, she alone was no match for the enemy they were up against. He sighed, and wished that his daughter's life were normal and harmless- something he nor anyone else could give her.

Naruto sighed, grabbing one of the couch pillows and sulking into it. This evening should be beautiful- his father had just hosted a Holiday Party where all of his closest friends had been. It was snowing in the village, and outside, it was a winter wonderland. Christmas Day was in just over a week, and this time of year was filled with tales of good spirited nature and inspirational kindness. He tried to hide how upset he was, failing miserably. Yukari's life was endangered, badly, and he felt inner torment as he thought that who he was, what he was, hed brought her to such a fate. Yes, she also had many kekkei genkai traits flowing through her, but the fact that her father and grandmother were Jinchuriki, and that her grandfather was the feared Fourth Hokage- the Yellow Flash of the Leaf- probably helped quite a bit. Shaking his head of those thoughts, he tried to lighten the mood.

"When do they talk?"

Ino was the first to acknowledge him. "When does who talk?"

Naruto shrugged. "Babies. When do they first start to talk?"

Shikamaru sighed. "Depends."

"On what?"

Sasuke sighed. "On the intelligence of the baby."

"Well, Yukari's a smart cookie, when do you think she'll start talking?"

Ino thought for a second. "Anywhere from thirteen to eighteen months is fairly normal. I mean, they kind of babble earlier, but if she says 'Mama' or 'Dada,' before thirteen months, she probably won't associate that with people."

Sakura looked up at Naruto. "Why do you ask this?"

He shrugged. "I want to focus on what I have to look forward to, not what I have to worry about."

Shino scoffed. "You'll have plenty to worry about when she starts to talk. Everyday, she's going to pester you with words, and if she so much as hears a swear word, it'll become her favorite. That, and the day when she learns to say 'No.'"

Shikamaru's lips turned up slightly. "I remember when Kanako first started saying no. It was such a drag, because all she would do is run around shouting 'no!' at the top of her lungs. Troublesome kid, but she's still a sweet girl."

Naruto hummed, imagining Yukari starting to form words. He smiled as he pictured her asking him to put milk in his sippy cup, or to play ninja with her, or to tell her stories. From her babbles and noises, she would have an adorable little voice, one that everyone would love, and she was probably going to be talkative.

"What about walking? I mean, she's already crawling and sitting up on her own."

Choji shrugged. "She's probably going to start standing with support next. I'd say that anywhere from nine months to a year she'll be walking."

Ino nodded. "That sounds about right. She's going to start getting into everything, too. Most likely, she's going to find some sort of weapons supply closet here within the next few weeks of crawling."

Sasuke sighed. "Probably. We're just going to have to put everything under lock and key, I suppose."

Naruto smiled, imagining the games he could play when his daughter was finally able to walk and run around. Which would she like better: hide and seek, or tag? Was she going to want to challenge him to races everyday, or would she be less competitive? Maybe she would rather spend time on the playground, getting pushed on the swings, going down the slide, playing in the sandbox? Maybe when she got a little older, she would conquer the jungle gym. Whatever she ended up doing when she was able to walk and talk, Naruto wanted her to make as many friends as possible, and to enjoy life as much as she could.

Sakura looked at the Christmas Tree, and noticed that most of the gifts were for Yukari. She smiled. For only being five months old, the child was already spoiled more than the Feudal Lord's grandkids where. The others had most of their presents for their families and children at their other homes, with one or two of under the tree only to prevent jealousy when they saw their little sister unwrapping gifts of her own. Sakura had ended the lease to her apartment three months ago, so the gifts she had for her parents were here, along with her presents for some of her friends, like Ino, Naruto, Sasuke, and Kakashi. She also had a few presents for the baby. They weren't extravagant or anything, but hopefully, she would enjoy them.

Everyone was wrapped up in their own thoughts, before Neji spoke up. "Would you mind telling me the baby's Christmas schedule again?"

Tenten thought for a moment. "On the afternoon of the twenty fourth, she'll be with Sakura and her parents for an early dinner, then the Nara, the Inuzuka, the Hyuga, and my parents in the late evening. Christmas morning, I figured she could spend here with us and her siblings, and have just immediate family around, you know? Then the Uchiha have their brunch at ten, the Aburame have something going on at noon, then the Hokage and his wife have her at two, the Yamanaka at four, and the Akimichi for Christmas Dinner. Did I forget anyone?"

"No, that sounds about right. She's in high demand, after all," Ino smiled. "What time should we bring our kids over on Christmas Day?"

Tenten shrugged. "They'll probably wake you up at five in the morning, and they'll want a couple of hours with their stuff, so around seven?"

Shikamaru smiled. "Sounds good." The Grandfather Clock chimed that it was half past two in the morning. "We should get to bed, since the baby will be up in a few hours."

Everyone grumbled some sort of response, bidding each other goodnight and heading to bed. Sasuke looked at Ino when she reached the top of the stairs after he had. "Are you staying in my room tonight?" She looked at him sadly, and nodded. He took her hand, and led her into his room.

She pulled on the nightgown she had started keeping in there as of late,and he changed into just his boxers. Sasuke's room was rather spacious, and it had plain, white walls. There were no posters in the room, and everything was neat and put away with military efficiency. His bamboo closet doors were shut, hiding a very bland set of black and blue shirts with the Uchiha emblem, a few pairs of jeans, and many standard shinobi flak jackets and jeans. The small dresser had his pajamas and boxers and socks stowed away, and the desk was tidy.

Sasuke had a large bookshelf, so large that it nearly took up the entire wall. There were seven shelves, and four of them were completely taken up with scrolls of ninjutsu and genjutsu. The bottom three were filled with classical literature from around the world. There were many classics from authors like Jane Austen, Honoré de Balzac, Feodor Dostoevsky, Alexandre Dumais. As she scanned the bottom shelf, she saw many more classics, and works from Homer, Virgil, and Tolstoy. Sasuke also accumulated classics such as the Tales from the 1001 Nights, an anthology of European Fairytales, large novels on Japanese and Chinese mythology, and so many more things that she had never seen before.

Sasuke smirked. "I take it you like my collection?"

Ino turned, smiling at him. "Yes, I do. What are your favorites?"

He shrugged. "War and Peace is enjoyable when I want to read it. Same with Les Miserable. The Aeneid is alright, if you can get past the beginning. I hate Wuthering Heights. Dumais is one of my preferred authors, just because he has a way with writing a story that's readable."

Ino smiled. The things he had just said were her very same thoughts on those novels. "You're an interesting man, Sasuke Uchiha."

He continued smirking. "When has anyone ever said I was anything but?"

She laughed quietly. "Whatever, lets just go to bed, alright?"

He nodded, sliding in after her. She snuggled into him, placing her head on his chest. Though she was trying to take her mind off of it, the thought that Yukari was in danger plagued her psyche. She sighed, looking to see Sasuke laying back with his eyes closed. After a while, he opened an eye, glancing at her. "You should go to sleep." he murmured.

"So should you," she countered. "I just... What Tenten said was right- she's just a baby! She's not a year old yet, and she's already being targeted. I just wish her life weren't so complicated. I just wish... that we didn't have to go through such drastic measures just so she doesn't die..."

Sasuke opened his eyes to look at his girlfriend. He felt her tears land on his chest softly, and with a sigh, he wrapped his arms around her, kissing the top of her head. Though it would surely upset her more, he thought it best to tell her his worries. "It's not the threats outside the village that concern me, it's the ones inside of it that make me fear for Yukari's safety."

Ino turned to look up at him. "What do you mean? Who in the village would threaten her?! She's affiliated with so many clans that within the village gates, she's untouchable!"

Sasuke sighed. "I wish I could believe the same, but the elders always have something up their sleeves. Try as he may, even the Hokage can't rid of them. They have more control over the ANBU than even he does, and their manipulative evil fucks. For generations, they've tried to control the Uchiha, writing these actions off as peace offerings. Danzo tried to take Shisui's eye from him, and tried to get Itachi to spy on the clan. He tried to convince me to kill any Uchiha who spoke ill of the village system. Of course, none of it worked, since my brother, Shisui, and myself only truly answered to the Hokage. For whatever reason, Danzo only wishes for the complete annihilation of the Uchiha, and he will be relentless until he gets what he wants."

Ino processed the information. "And you think that he might be targeting Yukari?"

Sasuke shook his head. "I know that he will in the future. If she so much as shows any talent at all for being a ninja, he will target her, potentially to the point of killing her."

Ino gasped. "But it was partially his idea to create her, wasn't it? Why would he do such a thing?"

"For the same reason that Orochimaru and the Akatsuki would- if she really does possess the ability to become the Sage of Six Paths, I believe that Danzo will attempt to remove her eyes from her, or worse. He may even use whatever Justu that Orichimaru does, and take over her body completely."

Ino cried out a little. "Why are you telling me this?! You're just making it worse!"

"I know it is, but you have a right to know, and an obligation to protect our child. I know this is hard, but we need to find a way to subtly eliminate the threats within the village, while everyone else is focused on the Akatsuki and Orochimaru. Will you do it?"

Ino leaned up, kissing his forehead. "Rest assured, I will protect our children, no matter what the costs."

Sasuke smirked, kissing her hairline. "Good. Now, should we engage in some nightly activities?"

She slapped him jokingly. "Only if you're quiet."

He laughed lightly. "I'll be fine, you'll be the one screaming my name."

She gave him a saucy look. "Hmm, we shall see about that."

* * *

Tenten was laying on Neji's chest, sick with worry for her baby, with Neji trying to comfort her. She had her arms wrapped around him tightly, listening to the sound of his heartbeat. It was surprisingly even, given how stressed the evening had made everyone, and she could hear his lungs filling with air every time he inhaled. The puppy, named Blue after the dog on Blue's Clues, was laying at her feet, keeping them warm during the blizzard that raged on outside.

"Tenten, your worries are keeping even me awake. Just go to sleep."

She sighed. "Neji, I can't. You heard what was eventually going to happen to Yukari, she could end up being attacked tomorrow for all we know!"

He sighed. "While I understand the uncertainty we face with this situation, I highly doubt they will attack as soon as tomorrow. They will most likely wait until the meeting of the Kages, or even later. We have plenty of time to prepare. Worrying won't do anyone any good. Besides, we don't want Yukari to pick up on your anxiety," he gave her a pointed look, and she avoided his eyes.

He wrapped his arms around her. "Try to get some sleep. We have to act normally, for her sake."

Tenten nodded. "What do you think will happen to us?"

He stiffened. "I don't know, but I don't think this will be over in one blow."

"When do you think she will really be targeted?"

He sighed. "After she releases her kekkei genkai, and it'll most likely be after her Sharingan awakens, if it does at all."

Tenten's eyebrows narrowed. "What do you mean by 'if'."

"I simply mean that, with as many kekkei genkai as she has the potential to unlock, there has to be some limit. If you want to look at it fractionally, she only has one tenth Uchiha blood, so her chances of awakening the Sharingan are significantly lowered on that account. Furthermore, there was once a child, born a bastard to the Hyuga and Uchiha. He had the Byakugan, and was skilled at using it, but he never awakened his Sharingan. This means that genetically, the Byakugan is dominant over the Sharingan. Therefore, Yukari might never awaken her Sharingan, and be instantly ostracized by the Uchiha clan."

Tenten sighed. "That's a good point, but I have the feeling that she will have both."

Neji raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And why is this?"

She shrugged. "Call it mother's intuition. I don't know why, but I just feel that she really will have all of the clan bloodline limits, you know?"

He smiled. "And if that is true, she will surely be one of the most talented kunoichi out there. She might even become the first female Hokage for all we know."

She smiled, and snuggled into him. "I'd like that to be her future. And just think, none of the clans could argue about her presence as such, since they'd all be her parents, pretty much."

Neji laughed a little. "Then dream about our Hokage daughter." He kissed her forehead. "Goodnight, my love. Sweet dreams."

She smiled, closing her eyes and enjoying the comfort of having her husband next to her.

* * *

It was the morning of December twenty fourth, and Yukari was bouncing around in Naruto's lap, babbling unintelligibly. She didn't see why everyone else was so excited, she thought it was just a normal day, but whatever the reason, she was enjoying the cheery atmosphere. She was receiving more attention than usual, but she wasn't complaining at all!

Naruto leaned her back over his lap, and she squealed happily as she saw the world turn upside down. The floor became the ceiling, and it was funny to see her family walking around from that angle. The blood was rushing to her head, and she let out a noise of discomfort. Naruto understood, and pulled her back up. He kissed her cheeks, snuggling with her in front of the fire. She clung to his shirt, holding onto him tightly, and he placed his chin at the top of her head. While what his father said a week ago was still very much on his mind, he was able to hide his worry and fear around Yukari.

The baby had a very happy holiday season, receiving many gifts from her rather large family. As she went from house to house, she got so much attention that her usual fussiness hardly seemed to come into play. It was the evening of the twenty fifth, and Yukari sat with her parents and siblings in the rather large living room of the mansion. She was in Tenten's lap, gnawing on a teddy bear that she was given earlier that day. Tenten smiled, leaning down and kissing her daughter's head.

"Merry Christmas, my baby." Yukari smiled, gurgling up at her Mommy. Tenten hugged her daughter and kissed the baby's face. The baby continued making noises, laughing a little. She looked over Tenten's shoulder to Neji, and reached her hand out to him.

Neji took the baby from Tenten, holding her over his head, and smiling at the happy noise she made when he did that. He brought Yukari down, and kissed her forehead. "Yes, Merry Christmas." Yukari reached out towards his hair, trying as she always did to pull on it. He laughed a little, and Naruto took the baby from his hands.

"Did my baby have a good Christmas? Did you get enough presents?" he continued asking her questions, pretending as if she had answered in his favor, and snuggled with her as she nuzzled close to his chest.

"Dobe, pass the baby over here," Sasuke demanded with Katsuro sitting on his lap. Naruto glared slightly, but let the other man hold their daughter.

Yukari touched Katsuro's face, smiling widely at her big brother. Katsuro smiled back, hugging his baby sister. Sasuke watched fondly as his children interacted, playing with his son's hair absent-mindedly. Yukari looked at him pointedly, and he kissed the top of your head. "Katsuro, let your sister spend time with everyone else." Katsuro pouted, and Kanako carried her baby sister over to where her Daddy was sitting.

Haruna and Choji were next to Shikamaru, and the collectively spent time with the baby. Kanako cried out when Yukari grabbed her pigtails and yanked on them, deciding that her baby sister wasn't very much fun anymore.

Yukari circulated around the room, and ended up with Neji and Tenten again. As the baby placed her head on Neji's shoulder sleepily, they took her upstairs to the nursery. Neji kissed her forehead as he set her down in the crib.

"Merry Christmas Yukari. Have sweet dreams."

Tenten leaned down, kissing the baby's cheek. "Goodnight, my love. Merry Christmas. Have visions of sugarplums dance in your head."

Neji rolled his eyes at his fiance's cheesy reference, and they turned off the light. Yukari slept peacefully, unaware of any danger the world around her posed. For her, today was a day filled with affections, from all of her family, and she dreamt happy, wonderful dreams.

Which was a good thing, seeing as how those most intent on using her were watching from a distance, calculating how best to strike, and when.

* * *

And that's it for Chapter Five! Sorry that every section ends with the baby sleeping, that's just the way it turned out. Not making any promises, but next chapter you may see a wedding, and it may involve Neji and Tenten, and of course Yukari!

This is for you, sunshine1381! I hope you liked your chapter!

And if any of my other lovely reviewers or followers have a birthday coming up, PM me and I shall give you a chapter as well!

Until next chapter!


	6. Chapter 6: Part of Your World

Hello everyone! Sorry it took so long to come out with this new chapter! I started college, am trying to find a job, and worst of all, I had a major writer's block!:o

Anyways, I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who reviewed this story- reviews mean the world to me as an author! I love you guys and all of the things you have to say!

Speaking of reviews, I have a few from guest users that I wanted to answer.

Why is Sasuke in the tags?

Because I write enough about Sasuke in this story that if I didn't, people would ask me why he isn't included.

'UNLIMITED POWA!'

hahaha, this review made me laugh so much! But in response to that statement, no, Yukari will not have unlimited power, because I don't like stories with Mary Sues, so I won't write one. She will have very real challenges and limitations, and whether she overcomes them or not will be a critical point in the story later on.

'you should write shorter chapters.' While I always appreciate constructive criticism, I'm afraid i will forego this piece of advice. I prefer to read longer chapters with more substance, so naturally, I write longer chapters. Plus, I have a habit of going into a lot of detail, so the chapters tend to be longer. I'm sorry if I write too much, but people always ask for more, so I try to give them more.

That's all I have to say for now, so I hope you enjoy the chapter!

* * *

Chapter 6: Part of Your World

Yukari grabbed the top of the baby gates, pulling herself up to stand- a new development. She stood there, sucking at her pacifier as she watched her parents bustle about the kitchen. She made a loud noise to get their attention, but they simply continued with making dinner. She tried again, hoping that they would pay her some mind, but it was useless.

She let out a loud cry, trying to let them know she needed someone's attention. Naruto turned his head slightly, an eyebrow raised, and Yukari smiled from behind her pacifier. Good, now that he was looking at her, he would hold her and love her? But before she could motion for him to lift her up, he turned back to cutting the bread, and her hopes were crushed. She stood there, looking pitifully into the kitchen. Why didn't anyone want to pay attention to her anymore? Did they no longer love her?

When she cried this time, it was much more heartfelt, and fat tears rolled down her cheeks. As she screamed, her pacifier fell out of her mouth, but she didn't care. Why was everyone ignoring her?! It was a terrible feeling, and all she wanted was to be held! She looked over to see Ino placing a bowl of salad onto the table, and she cried out to the woman, who simply ignored her.

Yukari became frustrated, and slammed her little fist onto the baby gate in anger. Sasuke looked over, and went to get Yukari. He was annoyed- how had an eight month old baby picked up on the habit of throwing temper tantrums? He lifted the child, who stopped crying, and gave her a firm reprimand.

"Stop hitting." His eyebrows were pulled together, his mouth in a stern line, and his voice was harsh. Yukari's bottom lip started to quiver, the itchy feeling rising in her nose, and she started crying again. Sasuke sighed, bouncing the child a little to try to get her to stop. Of course, with how stubborn Yukari was, it didn't work, and she gave him an angry look. She raised her hand, bringing it down to try to slap his face. Sasuke caught her wrist, and repeated his earlier command. "Stop hitting."

Yukari screamed in frustration as Sasuke put her back on the other side of the baby gate. She started crying again, desperate for some attention. She sat on her butt, looking at everyone who passed her by and wondering why they didn't try to hold her.

Neji came through the front door, with Lee and Gai following him. He saw the baby throwing a tantrum, and sighed. He turned to his former sensei and teammate, "I'm sorry about Yukari- she's started throwing tantrums the last few days. Please try to enjoy yourselves nonetheless."

Gai laughed loudly. "I take no offense at her tears, Neji! She is displaying her dissatisfaction in the most youthful way by crying out loudly. Oh, it brings a tear to my eye."

Lee walked over to the baby, picking her up. "Do not cry, precious little one. I will protect you with my life!" Lee attempted to cuddle with her, but Yukari pushed his face away, swatting her hands near his face and trying to hit him as she had done with Sasuke.

Neji strode over to his daughter. "Yukari, no hitting! Be nice." She gave him the angriest look he'd ever seen her make, and threw herself back in a tantrum. Neji sighed, taking her from Lee and placing her in her swing. He strapped her in, and turned it on, hoping that she would calm down soon.

Tenten came downstairs, looking at the scene. Yukari sat in her swing, sobbing and reaching out to her, and Neji was apologizing to Gai and Lee. She approached her fiancé. "Was she throwing another tantrum?"

Neji sighed. "Yes. She's getting worse about trying to hit people."

Tenten frowned deeply. "I'm really sorry about this- she normally doesn't do these kinds of things." Luckily, Gai and Lee took no offense to this, and went into the dining room with Neji and Tenten.

Yukari screeched loudly, unhappy that her Mommy had come into the room and not paid attention to her. The baby was so used to everyone giving her unlimited affection, so having been ignored for the past few days was confusing her to no end. The swing was doing nothing to calm her down, and she just wanted someone to pay attention to her.

Shikamaru groaned as he listened to his youngest daughter cry, and he went over to her swing. He took her out and tried holding her, but she was inconsolable. Shikamaru found a pacifier and placed it in her mouth, only for her to try to spit it out again. The baby stopped crying when the doorbell rang, and Shikamaru went to answer it.

Asuma and Kurenai were on the doorstep, and Shikamaru let them in. Yukari had resumed her tantrum, not giving the guests much chance to greet her. Asuma sighed. "You've already had practice with Kanako, but you still can't handle this one?"

Shikamaru rubbed the back of his neck. "She's much more difficult nowadays. It's only been three days, but she's throwing tantrums left and right. She's a troublesome little handful, that's for sure."

Asuma held his hands out, and Shikamaru handed the baby over to him. She looked up at the man, calm as she reached nonchalantly to grab his beard. He stopped her before she could do that, and she began crying again, reaching out to hit him. Asuma was taken aback, but nonetheless was able to prevent her from hitting him.

"She's very aggressive, I see." Kurenai watched, astounded that the eight month old baby had tried to hit her husband.

Ino came into the room, taking Yukari. "I'm so sorry about her, Sensei! I swear, she's only just started doing that!"

Asuma waved it off. "It's fine. She's got quite the temper on her, wonder where that came from?" He looked pointedly at Ino. She rolled her eyes.

"If it's from anyone, it's Sakura."

"I'll second that notion." Kakashi waved to everyone from the doorway. "Sorry about barging in, I just figured that since the door was open..."

Ino smiled. "It's no problem, really!"

Kakashi walked over to Yukari, who gently placed her hand on his masked face. He chuckled, and the baby held her arms out to him. Kakashi lifted her up, holding her as she placed her head on his shoulder. "So she's been giving you grief lately?"

Sasuke walked in. "Yeah, more than enough to go around."

Kakashi laughed. "I see. Who does she act out towards?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes, "Everyone. She's hit anyone who's held her, with the only exceptions being my brother, Hinata, Temari, and Gaara. From the looks of it, she hasn't tried to his you yet, has she?"

Kakashi shook his head, and Yukari craned her neck up to look at him. She smiled, reaching her hand up to touch his face. Her hand touched the mask, and she clenched the material in her hand, but before she could pull it down, Kakashi stopped her. "That's not a toy, sweetie," he gently chided, and Yukari tugged more insistently. Kakashi's grip didn't let up, and with wail of frustration, she let go, trying to hit him. Again, he stopped her, but her cries grew in volume.

Sasuke took her from Kakashi, apologizing for his daughter's behavior. He took her up to her room, and set her down in the crib. She cried, reaching over the bars to try to get him to hold her again, but Sasuke merely turned off the lights and went downstairs.

Kurenai frowned as she heard the baby crying from downstairs, but went back to talking to Shino and Kiba. Hinata had arrived shortly after Yukari's tantrum, and she had joined the conversation as well.

Soon, dinner was ready, and everyone took their seats, with Neji and Tenten at the head of the table. There was a lot of small talk going on around the table, and everyone was enjoying themselves.

Kakashi turned to Sasuke. "So, has my son been a ray of sunshine during his time on your team?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Of course he has, temper tantrums and all. He might even give Yukari a run for her money at this rate."

Kakashi laughed nervously. "Sorry about that, but I warned you. He's not exactly the obedient three year old that you babysat years back."

Sasuke sighed. "No, not exactly. Despite all of that, he is an excellent ninja. During training, I have absolutely no doubt he's your son, and for that reason, I had to refrain from using the bell test."

"Yeah, he's heard that story way too many times to fall for that ruse. What test did you use, then?"

Sasuke shrugged. "I faked a hostage situation with the weakest link, and told them that in order to save him, they had to take the scroll from me. Same principle as the bell test, only with the stakes raised a little higher."

Kakashi nodded. "He told me you were pretty hard on them. Does he listen when you try to help him with techniques and the like?"

Sasuke took a long sip of his beer, and sighed. "Depends. It's fifty fifty with him, but most of the time he listens when I tell him how to do certain ninjutsu and genjutsu. It's a waste of time to try to lecture him about his taijutsu, though."

Kakashi laughed. "That's my boy, alright. But I've noticed that since being under your watch, he's been much better behaved around his mother and sister. Guess I'm just the bossy old geezer of a father."

Sasuke shook his head. "He just hates it when he knows he's wrong, which he probably is during arguments, am I right?"

Kakashi took a quick sip of his water, not revealing the face behind the mask. "I've never looked at it that way before. I guess you're right."

"The kid will just have to learn the hard way that he isn't always right, same as I had to. It's not that big a deal, really," he looked to see his former teacher in a somber mood, before the latter lightened up a little.

"Yes, I suppose you're right. How has Yukari been for you?"

"Aggressive. She's always trying to hit people, especially when she's told no."

Kakashi laughed. "Yes, I saw that earlier. Still, she's adorable, that's certain."

Sasuke nodded. "Thank you."

"How is it to have so many other parents around?"

At this, Sasuke glowered slightly. "Exhausting. Even when we try to decide what she's going to wear for the day, it's an endless argument. The biggest argument is generally the custody planning, and which clan gets to see her and when. I think she has a tighter schedule than the Hokage. My mother is constantly complaining tht she doesn't get to see Yukari often enough, and my father said that she needs to be around the clan more often. I can get Tenten to give me an afternoon every four Saturdays, but I know my parents don't think that's nearly often enough."

Kakashi nodded, and Sasuke continued. "It's getting harder to deal with so many different opinions as well, now that Yukari is getting aggressive. I personally believe that spanking is fine, since as an eight month old baby she doesn't have the ability to think about what she's done. However, Ino and Tenten insist that spankings are bad for her mental and emotional development, or something along those lines. Even when I try to discipline Katsuro, I get lectured for my parenting methods. It's pretty damn annoying."

Kakashi smiled at his student, and Sasuke could see this despite the mask. "Don't worry, Sasuke, I'm sure you'll all come to an agreement at some point."

Sasuke groaned. "God, I hope so. The baby's just going to grow up confused if there isn't a clear set of rules. And she's only eight months old."

"I'm sure you'll be fine. How is she with Katsuro?"

"They get along fine, he doesn't take much interest in her, though."

"What do you mean by that?"

"I mean that he just kind of pats her on the head and runs along to play with Ino's boy."

Kakashi laughed. "Ah, that makes sense. And what of your relationship with Ino?"

"It's fine," Sasuke shrugged. "How's Kohana?"

Kakashi smiled fondly at the mention of his adorable daughter. "She's doing well, top of her class at the Academy. She keeps asking me if she can see Yukari, but I felt it wasn't my permission to give."

Sasuke waved it off. "She can see the baby whenever. I just hope that Yukari gets out of this phase."

Kakashi laughed. "I'm sure that she will. She's a smart baby, so she'll learn soon enough."

Sasuke nodded.

After dinner had been served for twenty minutes, Tenten went upstairs to get Yukari. The baby girl was standing, leaning against the railing of her crib and reaching out to her mother. Tenten gave her a sympathetic look, picking her up and holding her for a moment before heading downstairs.

As she saw everyone, Yukari put her head on Tenten's shoulder and hid her face from them. She didn't want to see this many people, she just wanted her Mommy. She whimpered, giving Tenten the pouty bottom lip, but her Mommy ignored her and sat down at the table.

Tenten tried to feed the baby some mashed peas, only for Yukari to continuously spit everything out. Even when everyone else tried to feed her, they achieved the same results. Tenten laughed nervously. "I'm sorry about this, she really is a good baby most of the time."

Kurenai brushed the apology off. "Don't worry about it- all kids do this."

Tenten thanked her, and gave up on feeding Yukari. She handed the little one over to Neji, and the baby was happy to see him. Neji stood his daughter up on his lap, holding her by the waist. Tenten decided to show off how smart her baby was.

"Give kisses baby," she said, and Yukari turned to look at her. The baby scrunched up her face, in an odd sort of smile, before turning back to Neji. Not knowing how to pucker her lips very well, Yukari simply placed her open mouth on Neji's cheek, earning looks of adoration for her action.

Naruto laughed. "She does that to everyone, but I think that she does it to me more."

Ino rolled her eyes. "Yeah right! I'm the one who taught her that in the first place!"

Tenten cleared her throat. "Excuse me, but I believe I had a good part in teaching her."

Ino laughed, "Of course! How could I forget?"

Kiba laughed. "It doesn't matter who taught her that, she's cute no matter who she does that to!"

Neji smiled at the baby, wiping her slobber off of his cheek. He handed her to Lee, who was sitting next to him. "Give him kisses," Neji encouraged. Yukari stared at Lee, scrutinizing him before leaning in and pressing her open mouth on his cheek.

"She is so absolutely youthful! I cannot believe she gave me a kiss!" Lee's shouting startled the baby, and she started crying as a result. Tenten bounced her, calming her down, and when she turned around, she saw Gai with his hands held out expectantly. She smiled, handing the baby over to her former teacher.

"Yukari, give kisses baby!"

Again, Yukari seemed to scrutinize the man, before she leaned in and placed her open mouth on his face. Gai laughed. "As expected, even a babe can sense my youth!"

"Lay off of it, Gai, she probably thinks you're a creepy old man," Kakashi chided, laughing at the reaction the other man gave him. Yukari looked at Kakashi with big eyes, staring at him cautiously before holding her hands out to him. Before Gai could protest, Kakashi took the baby from him and held her in his arms. She smiled, leaning her head on his shoulder and yawning widely.

"Are you sleepy?" he asked. There was no response, and he rubbed the child's back soothingly. She made a noise of content, and Kakashi kissed the top of her head. Yukari suddenly straightened up, pretending as if she hadn't just been falling asleep.

Sakura smiled, "Give him a kiss!" Yukari smiled back, before shaking her head no. Naruto laughed at the response the baby gave Sakura, and the latter hit him with full force. Sasuke rolled his eyes at them, before repeating Sakura's command. The baby turned to Kakashi, placing a slobbery kiss on his masked cheek before laughing. Kakashi laughed as well, kissing her cheek back.

"Hey, Kakashi, you're not the only one who wants to see her, you know." Asuma stood with his eyebrow raised towards Kakashi, with Kurenai fawning over Yukari from his side. Kakashi handed the baby over to him, kissing her hand as she reached it out to him. Yukari turned to Asuma, gently touching his facial hair in wonder. Asuma smiled, rubbing his face against her cheek. The stubble of his beard tickled, and she giggled loudly as he rubbed it against her. After a few minutes, he stopped, and Yukari smiled up at him. He smiled back, and Ino kept telling Yukari to give kisses, which she did... on the tip of his nose. It was very cute, albeit a bit gross. He gave Yukari to Kurenai, watching as the baby instantly kissed the woman with no scrutiny.

"Thank you, baby. Awww, you're just too precious for your own good!" Kurenai excitedly babbled with the baby, and Ino, Tenten, and Sakura joined in happily.

"It's weird how they all turn to mush around babies. Must be that annoying motherly instinct or something." Shikamaru grumbled under his breath. Asuma laughed a little, grunting in agreement.

"So, have you and Tenten finally decided when you will tie the knot of youth?" Gai laughed loudly, wrapping his arm around Neji's shoulder.

The latter smiled. "Yes, we decided on November sixteenth. Technically, we're already a married couple according to the law, we just haven't had a ceremony yet is all."

Kiba snorted. "You barely decided on a date, and Tenten's running around trying to find the perfect wedding dress, or some bull along those lines."

Shino glared at him. "Getting married is a big deal for women. You just wouldn't understand since you've been single all your life."

Kiba shrugged. "I've never wanted a woman, I'm happy with my dogs."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "I wouldn't have either, but that's just me."

Yukari began crying, and Neji checked his wristwatch for the time. It was half past ten- over an hour past the baby's bedtime. He went over to the women and took her, bouncing her in an attempt to quell the flood of tears. Tenten placed her hand on his shoulder.

"We have to tell everyone about the wedding before they leave!"

Neji nodded. "I already told Gai, Asuma, and Kakashi."

Tenten glared at him. "I still want to be the one to tell Kurenai. You shouldn't have done that!"

She took the baby from his hands and gave her to Sasuke. "Will you put her down? Neji and I are going to announce 'it.'"

Sasuke raised a brow. "He already told them."

She growled slightly. "Well, it's not official until I tell them!" With that, she stormed off, grabbing Neji's hand and pulling him outside to tell the Senseis about the news.

Sasuke looked at the baby, rubbing her back as he walked upstairs. He opened the door to the nursery, turning the radio on to the classical music station. He let the music play for a while, dimming the lights in the room to a dull glow that made it hard to see. With the usual bedtime atmosphere set, he sat down in the rocking chair, rocking back and forth as Yukari's cries began quieting down. She rolled her head from his shoulder, looking up at him sleepily. He smirked, hushing her a little, and she snuggled into his chest. He could literally feel her consciousness drifting, as her grip on his shirt loosened and her body grew a little heavier. After a few minutes, she was deeply asleep, and Sasuke set her down in the crib, being careful not to wake her. He left the room, heading to Ino's room.

He saw her in her nightgown, and wrapped his arms around her from behind. She cupped his cheek, leaning up to kiss him. After breaking apart, she stood there in his arms, allowing him to hold her for a moment, and enjoying the silence of the night.

* * *

Minato stood at the village gates, anticipating the arrival of his fellow Kage. Next to him, Kakashi stood on guard, vigilant in his observations of their surroundings. The man turned to Minato. "Sensei, if you don't mind my asking, what is on the agenda for the meeting?"

Minato sighed. "Normally, I would tell you, but since this is such classified information, I'm afraid that this time, I cannot. However, you can probably guess based on recent events."

Kakashi's eyebrows rose. "The ANBU attacks have gotten worse, but are they really bad enough to require a meeting of the Kages?"

Minato nodded, a grave expression on his face. "Hopefully, we can form some sort of alliance between the five nations, but I'm not all too sure that the Raikage has fully forgiven me since our last battle." he said meekly, giving a cheeky smile and rubbing the back of his neck.

Kakashi chuckled. "Oh yeah, he probably hasn't forgotten that, even though I kind of did."

Minato's smile widened, and Kakashi continued speaking. "I saw Yukari the other day, and let me just say that she's gotten a tad bit aggressive."

Minato laughed. "That she has. I blame Kushina… and Sakura to some extent, but mostly my wife."

Kakashi laughed as well. "Those two would be the cause of something like that."

The sound of an approaching caravan made the two look over, and they saw none other than Gaara, Kankuro, and Temari surrounded by a small envoy of shinobi.

Gaara gave a slight smile. "How's Yukari?"

Minato smiled. "She's as beautiful as ever. After the meeting, I'll be sure to have Tenten bring her over."

Gaara gave a slight nod, as they were escorted to the meeting room and offered refreshments.

Next to arrive was the Raikage, who gave Minato a glare, saying nothing as he entered the village.

The elderly Tsuchikage arrived a short while later.

"Lord Tsuchikage, how are you?"

The man grunted. "I'm old and I'm tired. My arthritis is killing me, and I have a stupid meeting to get to, so with all due respect Lord Hokage, I'd like to hurry up and get this over with."

Minato sighed and nodded. "I assure you, we'll start the meeting as soon as the Mizukage arrives."

It didn't take long for said person to enter the fray. Mei Terumi flashed Kakashi and Minato a dazzling smile, flipping her hair over her shoulder. She sauntered over with a sashay that displayed her amazing figure. Unfortunately for her, both of the men she was trying to seduce were married and uninterested in her advances. "Sorry I'm late, boys, but my escort took longer than expected."

Minato gave her a curt nod. "It's no problem, Lady Mizukage, thank you for obliging my request for this meeting. Now, shall we head over to the conference hall?"

Mei bat her eyelashes. "Of course!" On their walk over to the hall, they made small talk, with the Mizukage asking questions about the village and Minato answering them.

The Conference Hall was quiet as they entered, with Minato nervously making his way to the front. Though he had mastered public speaking and using diplomatic dialogue, never before had there been a meeting of the five Kage, at least, not to his memory. He cleared his throat before beginning his speech.

"As we are all painfully aware, the attacks on ANBU personnel have become increasingly worse, and are now expanding into the small villages and towns within the five great nations. There has been little conclusive evidence as to exactly who is behind these attacks, and what their purpose is.

For generations, there has been distrust amongst our villages, and we have waged three great wars against each other, but now is the time in which we must change our approach. In light of recent events, I now propose that we form an alliance amongst ourselves to better plan counter attacks to this threat."

The Raikage sneered. "There is no viable evidence suggesting that such an alliance would work. As you yourself have confessed, our nations disagree with each other heavily, and I have not been assured that Kumogakure can trust the Hidden Leaf."

Minato nodded. "With all due respect, Lord Raikage, it is essential that we move past this era of internecine warfare to address this situation."

Tsuchikage shook his head. "While your endeavor is indeed noble, I must agree with the Raikage. The ninja world is not one consisting of forgiveness, it is a militaristic order created for self preservation. Iwagakure is also unable to trust the Hidden Leaf, due to the amount of previous conflict between our nations. It is apparent to me in my wisdom that the only bilateral alliance that has actually been successful is the one shared between the Sand and Leaf. Myself and my people have no interest in joining such an alliance, and if that is all you were seeking, Lord Hokage, then I will now take my leave." The elderly man stood up, and Minato shook his head.

"That was not the only reason I have summoned you here today, Tsuchikage. I have also received new information concerning the Akatsuki and Orochimaru."  
The Tsuchikage raised an eyebrow, and was seated once more.

Minato continued. "This is, however, an issue of village security for the Leaf, and it may soon become an international concern."

The Raikage's nostrils flared. "Then tell us what the Hell is going on!"  
Minato narrowed his eyes at the man. "The only way I can legally share this information with you and your village is if you sign this agreement to join the alliance. Otherwise, we cannot trust Kumogakure."

A snarled. "Your village has no reason not to trust ours!"

Minato's temper was starting to rise a bit, and he forced it down. "Don't forget that twenty or so years ago, the head ninja of your village attempted to abduct Hinata Hyuga, who is now the current Head of the Hyuga clan. We could have waged war against Kumo, but we didn't, and as a result, we killed of Hizashi Hyuga in order to appease you."

"You killed our head ninja, it was only just that we asked for his murderer's life!"

"It was only just that he was killed after kidnapping one of our Noble clan's heir."

The Raikage stood, lightning beginning to form around his body. Kakashi appeared in front of Minato, along with Asuma, Kurenai, and Gai. The Raikage's guards also tensed, standing in front of their leader and preparing for attack. The Kumo ninja were the first to strike, with a quick retaliation from the Leaf. The Mizukage and Tsuchikage were surrounded completely by their guards, as was Gaara.

Before any of the attacks hit their targets, sand appeared between the feuding ninja, and Minato looked to Gaara, who seemed slightly angry.

"When did you all forsake yourselves? Even you... Minato..."

The latter had the decency to look ashamed, and he truly did feel that way. Turning to his subordinates, he gave them the signal. "Stand down, we are here to talk of peace, not to create conflict."

The Raigake looked triumphant for a moment, but he too gave the order for his men to stand down.

The Mizukage spoke. "While I truly do understand the need for this measure, I fear that my village needs to focus on our own domestic matters, and I don't believe that we would have the power or time to dedicate to this effort. Unfortunately, I have to decline your request, Minato."

He sighed. "That is an understandable reason, Lady Mizukage, but I believe that by declining this offer, your village may be in more dangerous a position."

Gaara cleared his throat. "Lord Hokage, please, just brief them on the information. They will be likely to join once they know how precarious a situation we are all in."

Tsuchikage shook his head. "I know when there is something fishy about a deal when I see it, and this deal is indeed suspicious. I do not believe that the Leaf has anything to offer Iwagakure."

Minato sighed. "You didn't believe it when I told you that the Akatsuki would take your tailed beast, and we all know how badly that ended for your village."

The Tsuchikage glared. "You're not the type to to speak this rashly, Minato. What exactly do you have at stake to make you say such a childish thing?!"

Minato sighed. "I have just as much at stake as you did when you discredited the information I gave you. If the Akatsuki and Orochimaru have their way, I will lose my village, my wife, my son, and my granddaughter as well."

Tsuchikage sneered a bit. "Then maybe after you lose all of that, you will understand my pain. I never wanted to lose my grandson, and for you to publicly mock me in the way you just have is unforgivable."

Minato sighed. "That is entirely understandable, Onoki, but if I could have done anything to save him, I would have. Please, all I ask is that you return the favor." Minato was holding back his tears, and nearly failing. With a sigh, he called Tenten into the room, and the young woman walked over to him cautiously.

"Lord Hokage, are you alright?" she whispered, concerned that her daughter may now be at stake, and that the deal had not gone over well.

He nodded, taking Yukari into his hold. He walked over to the Tsuchikage, and placed the baby into his arms. The elderly man faultered slightly, and Minato shakily spoke. "This is what I have at stake, and this is what I risk should we not have a five village alliance. This is my reason for existing, and my reason for calling you here. If you had asked me for assistance, I would have gladly given it, because now, I realize what it feels like to risk what you had."

Onoki looked down at the baby girl, who was reaching out for her grandfather. He remembered his beloved grandson, and how the boy hadn't lived past two and a half. Though it was years ago that his precious grandbaby was taken from him by the Akatsuki, it didn't make the loss any easier. Yukari looked up at him for a brief moment, and that was all he needed to make his decision.

"Iwagakure will become part of this alliance. Just, please... Let me sign the forms and leave..."

Minato nodded, handing over the treaty and taking Yukari from Onoki. The baby squealed loudly in delight, nuzzling her face into Minato's shoulder. He kissed her head tenderly, rubbing her back. He felt guilty for using her for a political purpose, but he felt he had no other choice.

Gaara looked at his goddaughter, who was slowly starting to fall asleep. Last he recalled, none of the other Kage were to be made aware of her existence, and he had mixed feelings about her being brought into this. He knew that when it came down to it, she was a major reason for both the Sand and the Leaf to take military action, but at the same time, her existence would bring about multiple questions. Yukari suddenly jerked her head up, fighting the sleepiness, and made eye contact with Gaara, who gave her a soft smile in return.

She stared at him, trying to remember why his face looked so familiar. She'd been around so many people, she almost didn't care who held her... Almost being the key word. Shifting her gaze to the right, she saw Temari, whose face was much more recognizable.

Temari smiled broadly at the baby, who smiled and hid her face into her Grandpa's shoulder. Yukari looked up again, the smile still on her face, and hid again. Temari held back a laugh at the baby's game of peek-a-boo, and finally glanced over to her best friend.

Tenten was clearly worried and upset, biting her bottom lip with anxiety. Temari didn't blame her, when the latter had her baby's life on the line. Tenten glanced over, and gave Temari a half hearted smile, and Temari responded. 'We'll talk about this later,' she mouthed, and Tenten nodded before going back to worrying.

The Raikage stood. "Minato, you're not the only one who has almost experienced the loss of a family member. Where were you and your village when the Akatsuki took my brother? Where were you and your village when countless of Kumo's innocents had their lives taken?! Where was your pledge of support when my village needed it most, and when will you give up this bullshit nice guy façade of yours?!"

The shouting startled Yukari, and she began crying. Tenten rushed over, taking the baby inter her arms and cooing softly to her. "Lord Hogake, may we step out?"

"No, Tenten, you and the baby are to remain here." Minato shifted his gaze to the Raikage. "We have always offered our assistance to every village when we were made aware of a pending Akatsuki attack, A, and we provided a significant amount of assistance to your village. It was your pride that got in the way of its effectiveness. You were the one who, after three days, ordered that the Leaf's medical ninja and ANBU leave your village, and we gladly obliged. It is not the fault of our village that your stubbornness interfered with our aid."

The Raikage growled, and had no response to Minato's harsh words. Yukari's crying had steadily grown louder as she felt the tension in the room rise, and the Raikage snarled with frustration. "Will you shut that kid up?!" With a scowl, he turned to the Hokage. "Minato, bringing a child into this and stooping to that level will not alter my decision, nor does it make any difference to my village that her life is at stake. Your attempt to pull at my heart strings is all for naught, and I refuse to be a part of any of this. I will take my leave." With that, he and his bodyguards stormed out of the room, the door slamming loudly behind them.

Mei stood, walking over to Tenten. She glanced down at the precious, crying baby, a soft smile gracing her face. Holding her hands out, she made eye contact with Tenten. "May I?" The latter gave her a weary glance, before handing her child over to the other woman.

Yukari stirred at the contact, glancing up at the new person holding her. The strange woman smiled at her, and Yukari scrunched her face in scrutiny. Mei kissed the baby's forehead gently, stroking the little strands of hair on her head. Deciding that the contact was pleasant, Yukari leaned into the Mizukage's shoulder, taking in a deep breath and starting to close her eyes.

Mei smiled up at Minato. "The Rain Village will be part of this alliance," she quietly announced, and the Hokage smiled.

"Thank you, Mei," he whispered, reaching out to take his granddaughter.

Mei laughed. "I just got her, you're on the waiting list for a while there, Lord Hokage."

Minato laughed in response. Turning to Gaara, he asked, "Meeting adjourned?"  
Gaara nodded, and he, Kankuro, and Temari went over to Tenten.

The latter looked up, relief on her face. "Thank you, all three of you, for what you've done. You can't fathom how much it means to me."

Temari hugged her. "It's what we do. Yukari is one special baby, after all."

Tenten laughed through her tears. "We decided on a date, by the way."

"When is it?" Gaara murmured, watching as Minato and Mei continued to fawn over Yukari.

"November sixteenth." Tenten smiled up at Temari. "I have the bridesmaids dresses picked out already- you'll love them!"

Temari smiled, "And your dress?"

Tenten beamed. "I need your help, but I think I've found the one. I have a fitting tomorrow morning at nine, and you're obligated to come."

Temari laughed. "And what about the little angel over there? Is she coming with us?"

Tenten rolled her eyes. "Lately, she's been more of a devil than an angel, but yes, she is coming with us. I'm getting her a flower girl dress. Oh, and we also have to go shoe shopping."

"You're sounding more like Ino than yourself." Temari and Tenten laughed, before the latter went to take her baby from the Kage.

Minato frowned slightly. "You're taking her home already?"

"Yeah, we have to get her ready for dinner, and she needs to take a nap for at least half an hour."

Minato nodded. "I'll see you at dinner, then." He kissed Yukari's cheek, watching with a bemused expression as the baby fought to keep her eyes open. He gave Tenten a curt nod, and he and the Mizukage began discussing politics and the like.

Gaara looked at his goddaughter, and before he realized what he was doing, he held his hands out to hold her. Tenten smiled, gently passing the baby over, and watching as Gaara awkwardly yet tenderly held Yukari. She shifted her gaze up to meet his, before becoming exhausted and setting her head down again.

"We should head to the house, before everyone starts calling me," Tenten said quietly.

It was a mere fifteen minute walk to the large hilltop mansion, and Yukari was dead asleep by the time they got there. Stepping into the entryway, Tenten let everyone into the house, before shutting the door behind herself.

Neji had been sitting on the sofa anxiously. "You were supposed to call me before the meeting ended."

Tenten glanced at him sheepishly. "Sorry!"

Neji shook his head. "It's fine. What did they decide?" He cast a worried glance towards his daughter, who was sleeping soundly on Gaara's shoulder.

The latter responded. "Only the Raikage denied the deal, but knowing the Daimyo of his nation, he will eventually sign into the alliance."

Neji sighed in relief, and kissed Tenten when she placed her head on his chest. "Did she give you too much grief today?"

"Not really, she's tired though."

Neji gave a hum of acknowledgement, and the door from the backyard opened, with Sasuke and Ino entering the house.

Sasuke gave Gaara a polite nod that was returned. "I trust you're doing well, Gaara?"

"Yes, I am. And yourself?"

"I'm fine, thank you. What was the verdict?" His gaze became analytical as he cast his gaze at Yukari. Even if the other villages backed out of the deal, the Uchiha clan was absolutely head over heels for the baby girl, and as such would protect her without a second thought.

Gaara sighed. "Only Kumogakure denied the alliance, but they will most likely be pressured by their Daimyo to agree to it sometime later."

"Oh, thank God," Ino breathed out, her tight grip on Sasuke's sleeve becoming lax. She smiled over at Tenten, before gently stroking the baby's hair. "I was so worried when you didn't call earlier this morning, Tenten."

"I kind of had my hands full."

Sasuke said nothing, but his shoulders had loosened considerably. He turned to Neji. "You should probably take her upstairs, she only has about an hour for her nap."

Gaara intervened. "I can take her." He turned to the stairs, and Tenten showed him to the nursery. Setting the baby down, he smiled warmly at her as she twitched slightly. Small, full lips were parted a bit, with long, dark lashes fanning the soft cheeks. Yukari rolled herself onto her stomach, and Gaara placed a blanket over the child. He stood next to the crib for a while, rubbing her back as she slept, before finally leaving the room.

As he entered the dining room, he saw all of the parents rejoicing in the news that their daughter was safe. He smiled, and listened to the stories that were now being told, mostly by Naruto, and soon enough, the evening rolled around.  
It took a few hours for the rather large group to finally be ready, and Yukari was fussy over not having a long enough nap. As they entered the grand hall where the celebratory banquet was being held, they each parted ways to go spend time with their clans.

Sakura currently had Yukari, and the baby was especially fussy with her mother. For whatever reason, the little one didn't take to Sakura very well, and even less so to the latter's parents. Mebuki and Kazuna smiled as they saw their daughter and granddaughter making their way over, not caring that the baby girl was beginning to throw a tantrum.

"Look at that pretty baby! Come to Grandpa, kiddo!"

Yukari continued fussing, and Sakura tried calming her down. She remembered how Sasuke had turned the baby from being a very frustrated baby into a laughing one with a bit of tickling. She tried it out, running her fingers along the baby's sides. "Give me a smile, baby!"

There was no laughter, as Yukari pushed her mother away, all the while glaring at the woman. Sakura sighed. Even when she resorted to tickling, the baby refused to give so much as a hint of a smile.

Kazuna laughed. "I'll take her even if she's grumpy! She's my only grandbaby, and it'll probably stay that way."

Mebuki nodded, before giving Yukari a wide smile. "Yes, probably, but we're happy with that."

Sakura smiled, and for fifteen minutes, she was able to catch up with her parents, and Yukari was starting to settle down a bit.

Shino tapped Sakura on the shoulder. "My parents would like to see the baby now, if you don't mind."

Sakura frowned. "Didn't your clan just have an event last weekend?! They had her for three hours last Sunday, my parents hardly get to see her!"

Shino narrowed his eyes, "Three hours is very little when it comes to seeing a grandchild."

"Yeah, well, so is fifteen minutes!"

"You have her all next Saturday, Sakura, so I'd appreciate it if you could surrender a few minutes." With that, he took the baby from Mebuki, making his way over to his father and mother.

Sakura fumed, but although he was right, she was still very upset with him. It always seemed that the clans had priority when it came to who saw Yukari the most.

Shino held Yukari out to Shibi, who gave a minuscule smile as he saw his granddaughter. The baby gave him a wide, toothless grin, with small dimples poking her cheeks. She reached up and placed her hands on his face, little fingertips touching the mustache in wonder. Smiling widely at him, Yukari placed her head on his shoulder, and squealed when she saw her older sister coming over.

"Baby sister! Did you miss me, cause I missed you a whole lots! Mummy, did you miss baby sister too?"

Natsuki smiled. "Yes darling, I did."

Sayuri looked up to her grandfather. "Grandpa, you missed baby sister too, huh?"

Shibi nodded. "Yes, I did."

Sayuri nodded, as if she had just had a point proven correct. "Everyone misses baby sister, cause it's just impossible not to! She's funny, and makes cute noises, and even though she can't do anything cause she's a baby, she's lots of fun, and I love her, and everyone loves her, and-"

"Yes, Sayuri, we know," Shino said, placing a hand on her head and stroking her hair.

At that moment, Kanako and Haruna came over to play with Sayuri, and the three little girls ran off to play. Natsuki smiled softly, watching as her daughter and her newfound friends played some imaginary game. "It seemed that Sayuri has not only been blessed with a baby sister, but has been given some new friends as well."

Shino nodded. "It would appear that way."

Kiba sauntered over, a cocky grin on his face as he outstretched his hands for Yukari. Shibi handed her over, and the Inuzuka took off, ignoring Shino's calls to him (which in all honesty, wasn't that hard to do). He came to the table that Hana and his nephew were sitting at, placing his daughter in his sister's lap.

Hana smiled at her niece. "Hello, sweetheart, did you miss me? I haven't seen you in almost a month!" Yukari smiled broadly at the woman, touching her face with curiosity. Hana's smile only grew, as she peppered her niece's face with small kisses. The baby laughed, and suddenly noticed the Kuromaru brothers sitting next to her aunt. Fascinated by the dogs, she reached out and grabbed one of their ears. The pack of three had become accustomed to tis type of treatment, yet the dog still whined slightly. His appeal to get the baby to stop was all for nothing, as she continued pulling on his fur. He gave Hana a pitiful glance, and though the latter found the situation hilarious, Kiba did not. He gently grabbed his daughter's hand.

"Yukari, play nice with the doggie," he reprimanded, only to have the baby girl become fussy. She sent a glare towards her father, and he gave her a stern gaze in return. Disliking his discipline, she started tearing up, as Tsumi came over with her cousin.

"What's the matter pup?" she asked, sending a pointed look at her son.

"Don't give me that look, Ma, I'm trying to get her to stop pulling on the dog's fur!"

Hana shrugged. "Ashi does it quite often, so they're fairly used to it."

One of the dogs looked up to his master. "Still, that doesn't mean we like it, Hana."

She laughed, scratching behind his ear. "Children don't mean any harm by it- they just don't understand the concept of being gentle is all."

Kiba rolled his eyes. "Even if she doesn't understand, I'm still not letting her get away with it. She terrorizes the poor Aussie pup we got her, not to mention that damn cat Neji has."

Tsumi laughed, and Ashi tugged on her coat impatiently, babbling in an angry tone. She glanced down at him, ruffling his hair and laughing at his outburst.

"It seems as though both of these two have inherited the Inuzuka trait of rebellion! If I were sentimental, it'd bring a tear to my eye!" Hana laughed as well, while Kiba scowled.

"Glad you two find it funny, but to me, it's a pain in the ass. She's not even a year old yet, and she's aggressive already!"

Tsumi laughed. "Well of course we do! We don't have to deal with it as much with Ashi here. Still, Yukari's a smart one, that's for certain."

Kiba sent a glance down at his daughter, who was very interested in Hana's jacket. The intent and analytical, but innocent and curious gaze brought a small smile to his face. "Yeah, she is. I'm glad she has the name I picked out for her, selfish as that sounds."

Hana kissed her niece on the head, bringing the baby's attention back to her. "It's not selfish, it's just being a parent. She has a beautiful name, one that matches her personality well. I'm so proud of you, baby brother." She kissed his cheek, and he gave her a small smile in return.

"Thanks, sis. Ashi's a good looking kid himself." Yukari began rubbing her face onto Hana's shoulder, which generally signaled the baby's sleepiness. "This one's getting tired, so I'd better take her over to someone who can deal with that."

Tsumi raised an eyebrow. "She's eight months old, and you can't put her to sleep still? What kind of a lousy father are you?!"

Kiba huffed, "It's not that I can't, cause I've done it before, it's just that she's not used to me doing it. And besides, you haven't seen her when she's exhausted! Talk about a nightmare. Generally, Neji, Sasuke, or Shikamaru deal with her when she's tired."

Hana nodded. "It's alright, I understand." She kissed Yukari's cheek. "I'll see you again, sweetie." She handed the baby up to Kiba, and Tsumi tapped the baby's nose as a way of saying goodbye.

Kiba went searching for someone to put Yukari to sleep, when Naruto ran into him. "Finally, I've been looking for you! Where've you been this whole time, Kiba?!"

Yukari started to whimper, exhaustion making her angry. "Will you quiet down already?! She's starting to fall asleep, you moron. And anyways, I've been with my family."

Naruto nodded, "Well, my Mom wants to see her, so if you don't mind." He held his hands out, and Kiba shrugged.

"Don't come crying to me when she throws another tantrum," he said, handing the baby over and walking off.

Naruto kissed Yukari's face, and she turned away from him, angry that he was jostling her. "Aww, is he right? Are you trying to go to sleep?" He didn't receive any significant response, as Yukari snuggled into his warm chest. Smiling, he took her over to where his parents were sitting with the Mizukage.

Kushina barely gave him any time to make his way to the table, taking the baby and proceeding to snuggle with her and kiss her. "Hello, princess. How's my baby tonight, hm?"

Yukari grew fussy, but that died down slightly as she saw who was giving her attention. She had always taken a very strong liking to Kushina, even when she was only a few days old, which Kushina never hesitated to point out. The Uzumaki spoiled her rotten, and the baby relished in the attention that she was given. Kushina also visited the baby at the mansion often, almost as often as Tenten's parents did, and wouldn't hesitate to get on the floor to play with the baby.

Minato smiled, turning to Mei. "Unfortunately, now that Grandma's involved, neither of us are going to be allowed to hold the baby."

Mei laughed. "I can't say that I wouldn't expect the same out of my mother." She turned to Naruto. "So are you married to the young woman who was at the meeting earlier?"

Naruto stiffened. "It's a very complicated situation, and I don't want to talk about it. No offense," he stuttered out, cursing himself for being such an awful liar.

The Mizukage didn't seem to think he was lying, however, as she gave him a look of pity. "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bring up such a touchy subject." She felt awful- this poor young man in front of her had probably had a painful break up with that girl earlier, and now she was bringing it up. Come to think of it, the young woman had been talking excitedly about a wedding, so maybe she was the one who had called it off? _That's probably it_, Mei decided, _and this kid is heartbroken that she's moved in so quickly. Maybe she didn't like him all too much in the first place. Strange, I thought she seemed like a kind young woman earlier, but appearances can be deceiving._

Naruto shrugged. "It's fine, really. I mean, as long as she's taken care of and well looked after, I don't mind at all."

_He's such a good father for being so young! And the baby seems to be doing extremely well. Why can't I find one like him my age?!_

Yukari's exhaustion was now getting the better of her, and she began crying loudly. Kushina, Minato, and Naruto all tried to calm her, but to no avail. Sasuke turned when he heard this, and with a sigh, he went over to the group.

"Dobe, give her to me, I'll handle this," he said, his hands outstretched for the little one. Naruto nodded, placing the baby into his friend's hold. Sasuke walked over to his family, bouncing the baby to get her to calm down. As her blue grey eyes opened, and she saw who was holding her, Yukari began to cry even more, not wanting to be put to sleep.

Sasuke tickled her, and she soon began laughing loudly. He smirked, before rubbing her back with his fingertips. The action never failed to soothe a crying child in Sasuke's experience, and he felt his daughter place her head on his chest. Taking a seat, he continued. Yukari tried to fight the sleep, for reasons unknown, but Sasuke quieted her down easily. In five minutes, she was dead asleep, and she stayed that way for the rest of the banquet.

Mei noticed the amount of shinobi, particularly those who belonged to clans, who were taking a deep interest in the baby. It was strange, seeing as how most of the younger heads of the clan already had children of their own. _And those same children refer to the Hokage's granddaughter as 'baby sister,' _she thought. _What am I not hearing from the Hokage, and even the Kazekage for that matter? _She shook her head, figuring that maybe people in the village were just really family oriented, and that the baby was just exceptionally adorable. _Maybe it's the fact that the kid is the Hokage's granddaughter? Yeah, that's probably it. I hope that if I have a kid, people in my village get this excited about it._ With a smile, she returned to the small talk of politics at the table, and the banquet ended a few hours later.

* * *

Tenten smiled down at Yukari, who was now officially a year old. They all had breakfast together that morning, and Yukari had her first pancake. She shoved half of it into her mouth, and when she attempted to chew the extremely large bite, most of the food fell out of her mouth. Blue cleaned up after her, happily eating all of the food off of the floor, much to the disgust of Neji and Sasuke.

There were many gifts for the little one, most of them being clothes (namely dresses) and stuffed animals, but there were a few pleasant surprises. The Nara clan had given her cardboard books, seeing as how Yukari loved to be read to. Ino had given the baby a set of lotions and washes, along with multiple bows and ribbons to put in her hair, when the time came. The present, or rather tradition, that Tenten was most looking forward to was the chocolate pudding one.

With every child born into Tenten's family, it was tradition that on their first birthday they would be given a small bowl of chocolate pudding. The child would then be stripped down to wearing only a diaper, and they would have at it. The end result was always a chocolate covered baby, one that was both messy and adorable. Since this was her first child, Tenten couldn't wait to see what was to happen.

The party was for the following weekend, and Tenten had asked that only the parents and older siblings take part in having birthday cake with the baby. She didn't know why, but she just kind of wanted people to keep their distance today. It was getting to be a little too much to handle with everyone wanting to see the baby, and Tenten was just about ready to chew out the next person she saw. She also thought it would be more special for the baby, in some way.

The doorbell rang, and Neji answered the door. He smiled at his future in laws, showing them into the kitchen. As she saw her parents, Tenten smiled and hugged them.

Yukari walked in, holding her stuffed fox and chewing on its ear. Seeing her Nana and Papa, she smiled, knowing she would get a lot of attention. In fact, she didn't know why, but today, people were giving her a surplus of affection, not that she minded. She wanted everyday to be like this if it meant getting this much attention!

"Say hi to Nana and Papa, baby." Yukari looked to her Mommy, smiling and shaking her head, not quite understanding the gesture, but knowing that it always got a reaction for people. Tenten shook her head in exasperation, picking the baby up and kissing her cheeks. "What do you mean, no?!" Yukari laughed, thoroughly loving the amount of love that she was getting. "You're so cute!"

The baby smiled, "Yeah!"

Tenten's mother gushed. "She can say 'yeah' now?!"

Neji smiled. "Yes, it started around last week, but I don't think she quite understands what it means yet."

Yukari looked at Neji as he spoke, deciding a game of peek a boo would be fun at the moment. Neji laughed softly at her antics, picking up a blanket and placing it over her face. Yukari stiffened, fearful for a moment that she had been swallowed up in some dark abyss, but there was light again, and she could see her Papa beaming at her. She laughed loudly, hiding her face into Tenten's shoulder. She peered up, and held her hands out to Neji, who picked her up and began showering her face with kisses. She giggled, and the front door opened, with her older siblings coming through.

"Happy Birthday Baby Sister!" Sayuri and Kanako shouted happily, running over to give her a kiss on the cheek.

Haruna smiled. "I love you baby sister, happy first birthday," she muttered softly, and Yukari smiled upon making eye contact with her.

Shigeru walked over, looking at Ino dejectedly. All he received from his Mama was a motion to go forward, which he reluctantly did. With a deep inhale, and a look of disgust, he pecked Yukari on the forehead and quickly ran away, hiding behind his Mama.

Ino rolled her eyes. "Really, Shigeru? You didn't even say happy birthday to her!"

A quiet birthday wish was sent Yukari's direction, and Sasuke turned to look expectantly at his son.

"Vati, can I just give her a hug instead?"

Sasuke sighed. "I suppose, but you do have to wish your sister a happy birthday as well."

Katsuro nodded, holding his hands out tentatively in front of him. Neji set Yukari on the floor, nudging her in his direction. She toddled over happily, and threw herself into her brother's arms. He was barely able to catch her, and the baby delighted in the feeling of being held. Katsuro shifted to make his hold more of a hug, and felt his baby sister snuggle into him. He ignored the cooing of the women in the room, quietly muttering a 'Happy Birthday' before standing. Yukari was still attached to him, and he looked to his father for assistance.

Sasuke smirked. "Is something wrong, Katsuro?"

The boy frowned. "How do I get her to let go?"

Sasuke feigned hurt. "I thought you liked your baby sister? Why would you ever want to get rid of her?"

Katsuro pouted. "Vati, it's not funny! She's drooling on me!"

With a shrug, Sasuke began to walk away. "That's what babies do; you used to drool on me all the time when you were a baby."

"Did not, Vati! You're lying!"

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "That's enough, Katsuro. Stop complaining and be happy your sister likes you enough to do that."

The boy began crying. "B-but Vati! I don't-t want to play with h-her!" In a matter of moments, the small boy was on the floor crying, and Yukari was pretty much at his eye level. She didn't understand the context of the situation, only knowing that now, her big brother was crying. She reached out, placing her hands on his face before he roughly pushed her away, knocking her down onto her butt. Out of shock, she cried, and Sasuke went over to his children.

He placed Yukari in Neji's arms, allowing the other to calm her down before turning to his son. He grabbed the boy by the arm, sharply pulling him up and swatting his behind three times. The boy's wailing only grew in volume, and Sasuke turned him around to make eye contact. When their eyes met, Sasuke began berating his son for the behavior. "Katsuro, what you did was absolutely unacceptable, and you are to never, ever do that again. Do you understand me?" Katsuro was terrified of his father at this point, and could hardly breathe. He cowered away, looking at the ground and trembling.

Sasuke glowered slightly at his son, using his fingertips to turn the child's face to him. "Look at me." There was no response. "Don't make me start counting." Again, nothing. Sasuke was infuriated now. "One." The boy tensed, but didn't apologize. "Two." That elicted a reaction.

"Vati, please, no!" It wasn't the response Sasuke wanted.

"Three." Sasuke spanked his son again, pulling the boy into a corner and giving him another lecture. "When I ask you a question, I expect a polite answer, got it?" Katsuro nodded, still refusing to look at his father. Sasuke sighed. "Stay in this corner and think about what you did wrong. I'm only going to let you out when you give me a correct answer." There was another nod, and Sasuke walked away from the corner. He didn't miss the way his son curled into a ball, sobbing loudly into his hands.

"Katsuro, if you're going to pout and cry, be quiet about it." he reprimanded, and the sobs quieted down a bit. Sasuke turned to the other adults and apologized for his son's behavior.

Shikamaru rubbed the back of his neck. "Don't you think you were a little harsh?"

Sasuke glared, "I don't question the way you discipline Kanako, so don't question the way I punish my son."

Ino placed a hand on his arm. "He's right, dear. You could have been a bit easier on the boy. He's only five."

"Ino, I don't want to get into this right now. Drop it."

Tenten rubbed her face, trying to think of a way to ease the situation in the room. Fortunately, Neji did that for her. "Why don't we take the ice cream out to thaw?"

Tenten nodded, and some small talk took place between her parents and friends. She pulled out the ice cream, setting it on the counter and walking into the kitchen. There was a light hearted atmosphere, except for one little corner of the room. She looked over to Katsuro, feeling guilty, before her mother tapped her on the shoulder.

"Should we do the chocolate pudding now or later?"

Tenten thought for a moment. "Let's wait a while for the others to come home- they'll want to see it, too."

Her mom nodded, and they went back to listening to Ino's story. After a few minutes, Sasuke walked over to his son's desolate corner, placing a gentle hand on Katsuro's shoulder. The boy jolted, and looked pathetically up at his Vati.

"I'm sorry Vati! I really am!"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "What are you sorry for?"

"For pushing baby sister and being a brat."

Sasuke sighed, lifting the boy into his arms and rubbing his back. "I didn't say you were a brat, you just need to listen to me when I say something, alright?"

Katsuro nodded, kissing his Vati's cheek before placing his head on the strong, muscled shoulder. Sasuke placed a small kiss on the child's head, speaking in his ear. "Are you ready to go into the kitchen?"

There was a shake of the head, and Sasuke sighed. "If you're not, then you can sit down on the couch by yourself."

"Are you going into the kitchen, Vati?"

Sasuke nodded, and Katsuro mumbled that he just wanted to stay with his father. They walked into the kitchen, and Sasuke pulled his son up to sit on his lap. Katsuro leaned against his father's chest, taking comfort in the way he could feel Sasuke's muscles through the shirt. His father's warmth was comforting, as was the way strong arms encircled him loosely. He could feel the slight rise and fall of Sasuke's breathing, and he was feeling decidedly sleepy. He yawned slightly, and felt a hand ruffle his hair. He looked up, and Sasuke gave him a small wink, earning a smile in response.

The front door opened, with Naruto, Kiba, and Sakura stepping through and carrying a cake.

Naruto rushed over to Yukari. "How's my baby girl?!" Neji rolled his eyes, passing the baby up to Naruto. He cooed at her, nuzzling their noses together and covering her face with kisses.

Sakura gave the blond and irritated look. "She's not only your baby, Naruto." The latter pouted, before letting the other hold the baby. "Hello sweet pea. Did you miss me?"

Yukari giggled, shaking her head only to illicit a response from Sakura. She sighed, knowing that Yukari didn't fully understand the gesture's meaning, but still feeling disappointed that the baby associated it with her. She kissed the child's forehead, only to have the baby lean away from her a little. The fact that her own daughter didn't enjoy her affections was confusing to Sakura; the children she worked with at the hospital were always happy to see her, even if it meant getting a shot! But for whatever reason, Yukari just didn't take to her. Sakura wondered if the reason was because she was hardly ever home, due to long shifts at the hospital. Shaking her head and putting the matter on the back burner, she handed the baby over to Kiba, watching with envy as the little one happily gave him her version of a kiss.

Kiba laughed, eagerly kissing the baby's face back. Yukari shrieked with laughter, taking little fistfuls of Kiba's hair. When he pulled his face away, she leaned her head against his chest, her eyes closing in contentment. Kiba was second to Naruto in terms of being a fun parent to the baby. He often played with her, spoiled her, held her, and would never hesitate in showing her affection. Whenever he was in the room, she always reached out to him, despite whoever was holding her. Kiba also had to rub in the fact that he was technically the one who came up with her name. Still, he was a great father to her, and was able to comfort her whenever she was sick or frustrated.

Tenten smiled at Yukari, adoring how cute the baby was. She turned to her mother and nodded, going into the bathroom and pulling out the little tub. Placing it on the ground, she noticed that Sasuke had raised his eyebrow.

"What exactly are you doing?" he asked, and Tenten laughed.

"Didn't I tell you about the chocolate pudding tradition?"

"Not in the slightest," he grumbled, having a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach. He made the inference that this would involve Yukari covering herself and the floor in chocolate pudding, but he hoped he was wrong.

Tenten turned, taking Yukari and stripping her to her diaper. "Well, you'll see what it is in a minute." The baby was placed in the tub with a large bowl of chocolate pudding. Sasuke tensed- he hated it when his children got dirty, which was why he always kept them inside. He hated cleaning up after their messes, and was neurotic about everything being neat, orderly, and in its place. Still, he wasn't going to intervene in this right now, and he pulled out his phone so he could send pictures to his mother and Itachi.

Yukari stared down at the pudding, looking up and grinning at all of the cameras. She loved the fact that everyone was watching her, and giggled with delight. With curiosity of the brown goop in front of her, she tentatively placed her fingertips into the pudding, shocked at how cold it was.

"What is that baby?" Naruto asked, and she looked up at him, smiling widely and scrunching up her face.

Turning back to the pudding, Yukari realized that she liked the way it felt; the way it was so cold and gooey was nice, and she plunged her entire hand into it. Fascination took over her face, as she squeezed the pudding, and laughed at how it felt to go through her fingers. It was wonderful and fun- why couldn't this happen everyday?!

"Eat it!" Choji encouraged her, and Yukari slowly raised her hand to her mouth. Would it feel as awesome inside of her mouth as it felt on her hands? She slowly brought her hand to her mouth, and turned her head to face Sasuke and his phone. Katsuro laughed at his baby sister, and she smiled and shoved her fist into her mouth. Wonder crossed her features, and she instantly scooped more pudding into her mouth, smearing it all over her face and making at goatee.

She grew bored with eating it, taking a large handful and plopping it on the floor, and Blue came over to lick it up. Kiba saw this, pushing the dog away. "Blue, leave it!" The Aussie gave him a sad look, dejectedly walking away, but Yukari struck her hand out and got pudding all over the dog's back. At the feeling of the baby touching him, Blue ran away, pushing his nub of a tail into his rear and high tailing it upstairs to hide.

Yukari laughed at the reaction the dog gave, before putting her hand to her own mouth, much to Sasuke's disgust. Before she could eat the dog hair pudding combination, Tenten wiped her hand with a sanitary wipe, and the baby scrunched her face in disgust. Why did her Mommy have to ruin her fun?! Just like that, however, Tenten was done, and Yukari turned back to the using bowl, wanting to try one more thing.

Without further ado, she stuck her face into the bowl, and both Sasuke and Neji cringed at the thought of how dirty she was getting. Tenten and Ino, however, were too busy laughing and cooing at how adorable they thought it was, much to the chagrin of their boyfriends. Taking her head out, Yukari laughed at the reactions she was receiving from the adults, especially when she saw Neji's and Sasuke's faces. She had grown tired of playing in the pudding, and flipped the bowl upside down for the hell of it. Now, she was just pushing the bowl around, bored of the chocolatey stuff, and Tenten decided to put the bowl in the sink to be washed.

Yukari looked up at her Mommy, smiling widely and rubbing her chocolate covered face all over Tenten's shirt. The latter sighed, ignoring the laughter of the others. Even Neji was grinning, and she glared at him as he took the baby and her tub into the bathroom.

Neji sighed, pulling off the diaper and shaking his head at the baby, who laughed at his exasperated expression. He tickled her, and bubbles of laughter streamed from her mouth as she struggled to get away from his hands. He stopped after a few seconds, filling up her tub and placing her in the lukewarm water. "You just had to make a mess, didn't you?"

She grinned and responded, "Yeah!"

Neji chuckled at the fact that she was using words to respond, slightly astounded that she was intelligent enough to do so at a year old. He filled a plastic cup with water, pouring it over her head and covering her eyes. She reached out for the cup, letting out a whine of frustration when he didn't let her have it. Neji ignored her, grabbing the cutesy hand mitt washcloth that was shaped like a butterfly. He wet it and put a small amount of soap on, lathering and using it to gently wash her down. She gave him a look of wonder as he did so, enjoying her bath thoroughly. He raised her off, draining the tub before pulling out a towel and wrapping her inside. He took her upstairs, covering her with lotion before dressing her.

When he went downstairs, he saw Tenten shutting the door behind her mother, and he sighed. Tenten really wanted her parents to be there to see Yukari eating her first birthday cake, but if her parents were allowed to be there, everyone else's had to be present as well. He went over to her, kissing the top of her head, and she smiled up at him. Yukari reached out, touching her Mommy's cheek, and the three of them walked into the kitchen.

Yukari had no hesitation as she looked at the cake, placing a large handful into her mouth. Again, Blue ran over to eat what she dropped, and he was a very happy dog for the rest of the evening. After cake and ice cream, Yukari had to be put to sleep, which was an impossible task given the sugar high she had. Still, Tenten was happy as she set the baby down in the crib, kissing the sleeping baby on the forehead. "Happy First Birthday, my love."

* * *

November sixteenth arrived too quickly, and Tenten sat in the dressing room with a silk robe covering her. Her bridesmaids were bustling about, handling last minute preparations, and Tenten was starting to bite her nails anxiously. Ino caught this, smacking her hand and lecturing her.

Temari came over, holding Yukari on her hip. The baby was only wearing the tunic and skirt that went underneath her dress, and had been making a fuss. Tenten held her hands out, and took her baby into her lap.

"Are you giving your auntie a hard time?" Yukari shook her head, looking up to her Mommy and whining slightly.

"Mommy" she said, dragging out the 'e' sound of the 'y'.

Tenten kissed her baby, giving her back to Temari. "Mommy has to go get her hair and makeup done. Be good, sweetie."

Yukari whined, which soon turned into a cry as Tenten disappeared behind a door. She looked to Temari, who kissed her head and rubbed her back soothingly. The baby calmed down, and Temari wiped the snot from her nose gently, before taking the baby outside to get some fresh air.

About half an hour later, they returned inside, and Tenten had her hair and makeup done, long spirals pulled back and curling elegantly down her back. She smiled at Temari and Yukari, "How do I look?"

Temari smiled, "Beautiful as always. What do you think, baby? Is Mommy pretty today?"

There was an enthusiastic nod. "Yeah!"

Tenten laughed, hugging her daughter and best friend. "I'm so nervous, and I don't even know why! I mean, I know everyone here, and I'm in love with Neji, but I'm so scared for some reason! I don't even know why I should be nervous around him- I had his daughter for Heaven's sake, and-"

"Stop, you're starting to ramble. Just breathe, you'll be ok." Temari turned, "I'm going to get this one dressed, so in the meantime, take some Prozac and calm the Hell down."

Tenten threw a throw pillow at her, which Temari dodged effortlessly. She picked up the little orchid dress, and helped the baby get into it, zipping up the back and smiling at her goddaughter. "Aren't you just the cutest thing?"

Yukari smiled widely, showing two little white teeth forming at the bottom. "Yeah!"

Temari laughed, taking Yukari's hand and giving the baby the basket of flower petals. She walked to the front of the church, standing behind the door until it opened, and everyone turned to face the end of the aisle.

Tenten was about to faint from nervousness. There was no going back now- she was really getting married. She was so keyed up, and to distract herself, she watched as Yukari threw petals down the aisle in her own way.

As she walked down the aisle, Yukari threw handfuls of petals in whichever direction she pleased. She saw Kakashi, Asuma, Kurenai, and Gai at one point, and threw the petals directly at them, laughing as she did. The entire church had a hum of laughter, and Temari nudged her forward. Yukari focused to the alter, and saw Neji standing there in traditional Hyuga clothes. She screamed, dropping the basket and running to him. Neji was surprised, as was Temari, but he caught his daughter and held her as Temari hurriedly walked over to take her. Giving his baby a small kiss on the head, he focused down the aisle.

The bridesmaids walked down the aisle all too quickly for Tenten, but too slowly for Neji. Tenten had a death grip on her father's arm as they walked slowly, yet steadily down the aisle, and she was trying not to hyperventilate. She felt dizzy and light headed, and walking was more akin to floating at the moment. She couldn't keep the stupid smile off of her face, anticipation and excitement blocking everything but Neji out.

He felt a slight quiver run through him as he watched his bride walk down the aisle, and his usually stoic and calm demeanor now displayed a quiet elation. Tenten was stunning, with the fitted lace bodice showing off her amazing figure. The skirt of the dress came out slightly, and swished as she walked. Her vail seemed to follow the breeze her walking made, and the small amount of makeup on her face only emphasized her natural beauty.

As Tenten made her way down the last few aisles of pews, her heart fluttered with a giddy anticipation, and Neji simply wanted to reach out to her and kiss her. They were now able to make proper eye contact, and Tenten found herself day dreaming as she took slow, stable steps to the alter. Her earlier fantasies of her and Neji having a baby together, living together, and getting married were now realities, and she wondered what was next for them? Was it another child, a vacation alone, or retiring together. Her romanticized thoughts about growing old with him no longer seemed like far fetched school girl day dreams; instead, they were happy and plausible expectations for the future.

Finally, she was at the alter, and she looked over to her father, who had tears in his eyes. He bent down to kiss her cheek. "I love you so much, honey. Never forget that," he whispered only for her to hear.

She kissed him back. "I love you too, Daddy." The hugged briefly, before her father placed her hand into Neji's.

The couple smiled at each other, beyond happy that they were able to be here together, getting married. For Neji, his repressed affections had been lifted from archaic tradition, and for Tenten, what had been a silly dream was now tangible. The priest came up from behind the alter, smiling at the crowd and giving a speech about love, and the sanctity of marriage. Neither Tenten nor Neji were listening, too excited and nervous to comprehend anything outside of their little bubble.

The pastor guided him. "I, Neji Hyuga, take thee, Tenten Takahashi, to be my lawful wedded Wife,"

Neji repeated the words, holding each to a deeper meaning than he thought himself capable of. "I, Neji Hyuga, take thee, Tenten Takahashi, to be my lawful wedded Wife," _I want to show you I love you more than any other person on this Earth we live on._

"To have and to hold from this day forward,"

"To have and to hold from this day forward," _And I will hold you every day that I can, to never let you forget how deeply I love you_.

"For better for worse, for richer for poorer,"

"For better for worse, for richer for poorer," _Despite what my clan might think of you, I couldn't imagine myself loving anyone else. I want to be there for you for the rest of our lives together_.

"In sickness and in health,"

"In sickness and in health," _I remember your morning sickness that you had when you were pregnant with Yukari, and even if you were that sick every day, I would never leave you. If you became terminally ill like my mother, I would sacrifice every spare moment of my time to be with you._

"To love and to cherish, till death us do part."

"To love and to cherish, till death us do part." _I would die a happy man tomorrow if I knew that you and Yukari were alive and well. I will make sure that you know of my love for you, and I will cherish you always. You mean so much more to me than any one person, and I want you to know that, until the day I die._

The priest smiled, turning to Tenten. "Now, my dear, repeat after me: I, Tenten Takahashi, take thee, Neji Hyuga, to be my lawful wedded Husband."

"I, Tenten Takahashi, take thee, Neji Hyuga, to be my lawful wedded Husband." _How could I pick anyone else to spend the rest of my life with?! Who could ever make me as happy as you do, or be as amazing of a father as you are? No one, not in my mind._

"To have and to hold from this day forward,"

"To have and to hold from this day forward," _You've had me since day one, but now, I can officially say that I have you. I've never thought of myself as possessive, or as someone who would be this excited to be a wife, but it's all for you. And for now and for always, I will love you to the ends of the universe._

"For better for worse, for richer for poorer,"

"For better for worse, for richer for poorer," _Your clan has given us so much grief over this marriage, and I doubt that my parents have made it any easier, but somehow, we managed. I don't care about the inheritance that you may receive one day due to the means of your clan- I would take you if you had nothing but the clothes on your back, and I know you'd do the same for me. You could have married one of the wealthier girls in your clan, but you chose me, a nameless, middle class, girl from the forge. I would take you over anyone, at any time of the day._

"In sickness and in health,"

Tears formed in Tenten's eyes as she repeated. "In sickness and in health," _I know about your mother, and I know about your father. The fact that in a few minutes, we will place their bands onto our own fingers says enough for me. When I was pregnant with our daughter, I was so sick those first few months, and you were there for me through it all. If it ever comes down to me being there for you, you'll never have to ask. My answer will always be yes._

"To love and to cherish, till death us do part."

Steadily, the tears overflowed, sliding down her cheek and onto her neck, but she smiled nonetheless. With a shaky breath that was hard to keep in, she recited the ancient line. "To love and to cherish, till death us do part." _If something happens, and the Akatsuki do come after Yukari, I will gladly give my life to protect both you and her. I will allow my soul to leave this Earth if you and her are safe. I won't let a day go by without telling you how much I love you, and though sometimes it may not seem like it, I will always cherish you._

The priest smiled. "Now then, we will need the rings." Hideaki was the ring bearer, and he stood next to Neji and held out the rings. Neji smiled, taking the ring and sliding it onto Tenten's finger as the priest scripted his next words.  
"With this ring I thee wed, with my body I thee worship, and with all my worldly goods I thee endow."

"With this ring I thee wed, with my body I thee worship, and with all my worldly goods I thee endow."_ And with my mother's ring, I swear to be a faithful, loving husband, and a trustworthy, supportive father to our daughter_.

Tenten repeated the vows, tentatively gliding the ring onto Neji's finger. "With this ring I thee wed, with my body I thee worship, and with all my worldly goods I thee endow." _With your father's ring, I promise to never break the trust the two of us have, and to be the best mother that I can to our baby._

"With the power vested in me by God, I now pronounce you Man and Wife, you may kiss the bride."

They leaned in, and Tenten wrapped her arms around his neck, as he put his hands around her waist. Applause and cheering followed, but the newlyweds didn't care- they were just too happy to be officially married. The kiss was deep, heartfelt, and meaningful to both of them. They pulled away, smiling at each other.

"We're married," Tenten whispered, stating the obvious and not caring out of her own disbelief.

"So that's what that whole thing was about," he joked, earning a half hearted pout in response. He held out his hand to her, and they turned, walking down the aisle. Tenten stuck herself to his side, letting go of his hand and wrapping her arms around his waist. He placed his arm over her shoulder, and they went to the reception, finally married, man and wife.

* * *

My baby niece learned how to hit people when she was about eight months old, and for whatever reason, I felt it suited Yukari well.

The chocolate pudding thing is something that my Mom started with my older sister, and I thought it would be cute to add in.

i was trying not to cry like a sap when I wrote the wedding part, since I was in the library at my university when I wrote it. The rest of it was just what I came up with as I was typing.

So, that's it! Let me know what you thought!


	7. Chapter 7: Savages

Hello all! I'm back! Sorry that I haven't updated in a long time- I got sick, and then I had school, and I've been working 10+ hours each day on the weekends. Lame excuses, I know, but here's a new chapter for you!

Just a warning- major time skip in this chapter. Yukari is now three, and she's also quite the handful!

I'd like to thank all of my reviewers and everyone who follows of favorited this story!

Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 7: Savages

The warm bliss of summer had begun winding down in the Leaf Village, and the Academy was back in session. Sayuri watched the clock impatiently, trying hard to focus on the lecture. She sighed, it was impossible to do that when all she could think about was the fact that it was Friday, and her little sister was going to spend the night at her house for the first time.

The bell rang, and she leapt out of her seat, sprinting to the front gates where she was going to meet her Daddy and sister. The crowd was thick with people, and she stood on her toes in an attempt to see beyond them. She made her way to the front of the mass, and sure enough, her Daddy was sitting on a bench with her little sister on his lap. Sayuri beamed, rushing over to hug them both.

Yukari smiled. "Sissy! I missed you. Are you spending the night, too?"

Sayuri smiled. "I live there, silly, so it doesn't count as spending the night! We're going to have a lot of fun, just wait! My Mum is going to take us to the butterfly garden, and we get to see Grandma and Grandpa, too!"

Shino smiled slightly at the sight of his daughters becoming excited over their weekend plans. He wished that this type of thing could happen everyday, and that he didn't have to share Yukari. He also felt guilty for leaving Natsuki and Sayuri alone so that he could spend time with Yukari, but they always told him it was fine. He worried that he was sometimes creating a rift between himself and his family, and he didn't know how to prevent it. Still, he couldn't help but feel that coming home was made all the more special when he could bring his youngest along.

Yukari tapped impatiently on his shoulder, "We have to go now, Father! Get up, or we won't make it in time!"

He sighed. "Yukari, we have all evening to get there, don't be in such a rush."

She pouted, and Sayuri laughed. Finally, Shino stood up, and they walked over to the Aburame Manor. It was towards the outskirts of the village, hidden behind a few training grounds and a dense forest. The leaves were no longer their bright, vibrant green, and were now a soft, golden yellow. Many of the butterflies and bees were disappearing, as were the fireflies that lit the summer nights. Shino always felt that autumn was a season for nostalgia, and he couldn't help but feel that way.

The large gates surrounding the Manor were locked, blocked off by a chakra recognition seal for extra caution. Shino had ordered all houses in the Aburame clan be sealed off in this way after the ANBU attacks began three years ago. There hadn't been one in two years, but Shino was adamant that any threat that once lingered was still very much at large. He unlocked the gate, pushing it open and watching as his daughters rushed inside.

Natsuki was standing in the doorway, her long, navy hair falling down her shoulders. She smiled, her coal grey eyes warm with amusement and affection. Sayuri ran into her arms, hugging her tightly, while Yukari lingered in the background, unsure of what to do.

"How was your day, Mum? Was it boring since you were home all day?"

Natsuki laughed lightly. "My day was not boring, darling, because I was so excited that you and your sister were having a sleepover tonight." She turned to look at Yukari , who gave her a wary glance. Shino came up behind her, gently nudging her towards Natsuki.

"Why don't you go over and say hello?" he said quietly.

She turned back to him, unsure of what to say. Slowly, she stepped forward and waved. "Hi," she whispered.

Natsuki felt a little disheartened. She loved Yukari like the girl was one of her own, but for whatever reason, the child was weary of adults she didn't recognize as her parents or grandparents. She asked Kaori and Hanako if they had the same experience with Yukari, and they affirmed that they had. It was confusing, since everyone treated the little one s well, and they readily welcomed her into their families, but Yukari was still shy around them. Still, getting a greeting was better than nothing, and Natsuki gave the girl a warm smile.

Shino sighed. No matter how hard he tried to get Yukari to warm up to his wife, it simply didn't happen. He never understood why, and it only added to his feelings of guilt. He nudged her into the house, and watched as Sayuri took her up to her room.

Yukari smiled at the brightness of the room. It was a soft yellow, and butterflies and dragonflies lined the walls. The bedspread was also a butterfly pattern, and there were pillows shaped like the insect covering the bed. She hopped onto the bed and began jumping on it. Sayuri smiled, and though she knew jumping on the bed was against the rules, she joined her sister in doing so.

Yukari laughed as she saw this, and they jumped until they were both too exhausted to continue. Lying on the bed side by side, they giggled as their breath began to even out. Sayuri smiled over at her sister, pulling her into a hug. "I like it when you're over, and everyone else does, too. This should happen more."

Yukari nodded. "You have to ask my Mommy, though. Sometimes, I have to visit my other families. I go too many places to know where I need to be."

Sayuri frowned. She hardly ever went anywhere that her parents didn't go, but her three year old sister was allowed to get wherever she wanted. Yukari didn't sound happy about it, though, and she frowned as she seemed to be thinking about all of her family visits. Sayuri sat up and slid off of the bed, beckoning her sister over to the door.

"Come on, let's go downstairs and see what's for dinner!" Yukari nodded, following her sister like a little duckling. Sayuri bounded into the kitchen, calling out to her mother.

Natsuki turned, "Yes, sweetheart?"

Sayuri nudged her sister over, indicating that she had to ask the question. Yukari frowned, suddenly unsure of herself. Yes, Natsuki was nice, but she didn't see the woman very often, and she was a little afraid of her. She didn't know what to call her, since she wasn't technically her mother, but she also wasn't her auntie or grandma, either. She looked down at her feet, moving behind her sister and burying her face into Sayuri's back.

The latter sighed. She wanted her sister to be able to talk to her Mum, but it seemed that today wasn't the day for that. She looked up to her Mum, "We wanted to know what was for dinner?"

Natsuki smiled, "Your Daddy and I figured that we would let Yukari pick."

Yukari perked up a little. "Can we please have ice cream for dinner?"

Natsuki laughed. "You'll have to ask your father-"

"No." Shino appeared in the doorway. "Yukari knows she has to eat dinner before she has dessert."

Yukari furrowed her eyebrows. "But if ice cream is dinner, we can have cake for dessert."

Shino shook his head. "Ice cream is not dinner, and you know that. Pick something that isn't sweet."

Yukari thought long and hard. "Can we have Chinese food?"

Shino frowned, since he wasn't too fond of Chinese food, but he gave in for his daughters. With a sigh, he beckoned them over to the door, handing them their sweaters. Natsuki went over to help Yukari into hers, but the child backed away, and Natsuki tried not to frown. Shino grimaced, and went over to her and helped her into it. As soon as they were dressed, they went out and walked to the restaurant.

Leaves had already fallen on the trail, and Yukari looked at them mischievously. She ran over to go jump into a large pile, but Shino stopped her. She pouted as he gave her a warning look, and Sayuri tried to think of a way to where her sister could jump into the pile.

"Daddy?"

"Yes?"

"Can we play in the leaves on the way back?"

Shino smiled a little as he realized what she was trying to do, and he nodded. Glancing to Yukari, he became firm. "Only on the way back."

Yukari smiled, hugging his leg before glomping her sister, who caught her. Sayuri grinned, holding her little sister closely to her. She was happy that Yukari had been born, even if that meant she didn't get to see her Daddy everyday, because at least she had someone to hold and protect.

The restaurant wasn't busy, and an elderly Chinese woman quickly showed them to a booth. Yukari insisted on sitting next to Sayuri, and nobody had any objections. The girls ran off to the buffet to fill their plates, while Shino and Natsuki spoke.

"Is she normally shy around people, dear?" Natsuki asked.

Shino placed his hand over hers. "Sometimes. She has such a unique family situation that it's hard for her to identify her relation to other adults. Please don't take it personally."

Natsuki gave him a faulty smile. "It's hard not to. I just… I don't understand why she tries to avoid me every time we talk."

Shino sighed. "I don't either, but I think that'll change this weekend. I'm sure she'll come around, just please… please don't feel like any of this is your fault." There it was, a confession of his guilty conscience. Of course, Shino understood that none of this was his fault, either, but he still thought that it was. Not only did he cheat on his wife in a way, he failed to protect his clan's interest, and he had spilt apart his family.

Natsuki saw the shame on his face, and cupped his cheek in her hands. "I will do so, but only if you can promise me the same."

Shino smiled. His marriage may have been arranged, but he was deeply in love with his wife, and felt blessed to have such a wonderful woman to be married to.

Yukari and Sayuri came back, both with their plates piled high with food. Natsuki laughed, "Do you realy think you can eat all of that?"

Yukari nodded. "I can eat lots, but only if I like what it is. That's why I didn't get green beans, 'cause they're evil!"

Natsuki laughed. "Is that so? Why do you think that?"

Yukari scrunched up her face. "'Cause they're yucky and no one likes them! I don't know why I have to eat them."

"They're good for you, that's why." Shino remarked, wondering how she had become so picky with her food.

Yukari shook her head, and her tone became very serious. "If they're good for people, how come they taste so bad?"

Shino shrugged. "I think they taste fine."

Yukari's eyes widened. "But how?! Can you not taste food?" When she said the second sentance, it was not in a snotty or rude way, but in a tone that displayed her childish wonder. Shino took no offense to it, either, and he cracked a small smile.

"I can taste food, and I think that they taste good."

Sayuri shrugged. "Yeah, I do too."

Yukari gaped at her sister, and then turned to Natsuki. "Do you think green beans taste good?"

Natsuki saw the opportunity that this presented, and shook her head. "No, I don't. Your father and sister are weird, aren't they?"

Yukari beamed. "Yeah. See, she knows! You're weirdos!"

Sayuri shook her head. "I don't know why you don't like them, 'Kari, they don't really have a taste."

"Yes they do, and that taste is yucky!"

Shino was through with the conversation. "That's enough about green beans. Eat your food girls." He and Natsuki left to get their own food, and their daughters talked.

Sayuri decided to bring up the subject of her Mum to her sister. "Yukari?"

"Yeah?"

"Why are you so shy around my Mum?"

Yukari thought for a moment. "I don't know who she's supposed to be. She's not my Mommy, or my Mama, or my Mom, and she's not an auntie or a grandma, either."

That made sense, and Sayuri finally knew the answer to her question. The response wasn't what she'd wanted to hear, and she tried to alleviate the situation. "Well, she's really nice, and I don't call her any of those names, either. I think she'd be really happy if you called her Mum, too."

Yukari tilted her head. "She won't get mad at me?"

Sayuri smiled and shook her head. "No, I don't think she ever gets mad at anyone!"

Yukari smiled. "Ok. When will they be back, I want dessert now!"

Sayuri laughed. "Daddy won't let you get that until you're done."

Yukari pouted, then perked up again. "What about Mum?"

"Daddy won't let her let you."

Yukari pouted and went back to eating her food. Shino and Natsuki came back, and the family made small talk about things of menial importance. Sayuri had begun kunai training at the Academy, and she was excited to announce that she had even beaten Katsuro in a face-off. It became quiet after a few minutes, until Yukari spoke up.

She turned to Natsuki. "Mum? Can I have dessert now?"

Natuski nearly choked on her water. It happened- Yukari had come to accept her! With a smile, she nodded. "Do you want me to come with you?"

Yukari thought for a moment, "Yes, please."

Natsuki smiled, and as they were walking over to the dessert section, Yukari apprehensively held her hand. Natsuki gave it a warm squeeze, and the toddler beamed. She helped the child pick out a piece of cake for dessert, and they headed back to the table to see Shino and Sayuri getting on as usual. Yukari finished her dessert quickly, getting chocolate all over her face. Shino wiped it off, and they left after paying the bill.

The air was cool, and there was a scent unique to autumn lingering about. It was a nice evening, with the last of the summer fireflies dimly lighting the way along the forest path. As promised, Shino allowed Sayuri and Yukari to play in the pile of leaves, and he watched as they happily threw the leaves in the air and rolled around in the pile.

Natsuki watched on as well, knowing that now, Yukari had come to accept her, and that their family bonds were stronger and more natural than she ever could have dreamed.

* * *

Shigeru frowned slightly as he saw Yukari going into his Mama's bedroom. The adults were all downstairs doing other things, and he was left to make sure his sister didn't get into anything. Of course, Yukari ignored all of his soft spoken warnings and went into Mama's room anyways, and he was biting his lower lip awkwardly.

Yukari headed into the closet, pulling out a pair of glittery, tall stilettos. She beamed, putting them on her feet, even though she was wearing socks.

"'Kari, Mama won't be happy that you're wearing that pair of shoes-"

Yukari laughed, trying to emulate Ino in that sense. "Of course she will. Mama always says that we should dress nice, so it's ok."

Shigeru winced at the bad reference, knowing that his Mama would say that this time was an exception to the rule. Yukari ignored him, and delved further into the walk in closet. She pulled out a short, strapless dress, admiring it for a moment before stripping and pulling it on. It didn't fit in the least bit, and Yukari used a belt at the middle to keep it on.

"'Kari, Mama really won't like this-"

Yukari huffed. "You're just jealous 'cause I'm prettier than you!"

Shigeru sighed, knowing that his little sister was probably going to get him into trouble. Or was she? His Mama had only said to make sure she didn't get into anything that could hurt her, and he was technically doing that, right? Sure his Mama didn't like it when he went through her clothes anymore, but it was probably because he was a boy. Maybe since Yukari was a girl, his Mama wouldn't mind so much?

Yukari tugged on a scarf, pulling about ten others down. She was buried underneath the pile, but she held up the scarf that she wanted in victory. With a large smile, she wrapped it in knots around her neck, and she turned to the mirror and admired herself. She spun in a small half circle, so that her back was facing the mirror, and frowned deeply. With wide, teary eyes, she looked over to Shigeru.

"Does this make my butt look big?"

He face palmed,knowing that that was always a dangerous question with girls. He had seen enough movies in his lifetime to know that much! What would Sasuke tell his Mama? Was he supposed to lie and say that she was pretty, or be honest and tell her that he didn't look at girls' butts? Stuttering, he decided on the former.

"No, you look very pretty, 'Kari!"

She perked up, walking into another part of the closet and looking at the hats. She eyed a bright link one, and it didn't match the shoes or the dress she was wearing. Yukari couldn't tell, though, and she put it on, pushing it up when the brim fell over her face. It was rediculously cute the way she paraded around, but Shigeru was having second guesses about what his Mama would say. Was she going to give him a time out for letting his sister do this, or was she going to laugh and say that he was off the hook? He desperately hoped for the latter.

Purses were a source of fascination for Yukari, as her mothers and grandmothers would often give her their old ones to play with. But she didn't want any of the ones she had, she wanted one of the big, new, pretty ones that Ino had just bought. She became entranced at a Coco Chanel bag with the tags still attached, and before she could pick it up to play with, Shigeru took it away.

"Mama will have your Vati spank you if you get this one, trust me! She'll be really, really, really, really, really mad. Why don't you take, um, maybe, this one?"

He held out a small, white purse to Yukari, one that had a glittery strap and was looking kind of old. At the mention of getting a spanking, Yukari had avoided the Chanel bag, and she took the one her brother offered. She put it over her shoulder, strutting off into the bathroom.

She saw a small try on the counter, and picked up the glass bottle in wonder. She saw the end, and it was like the old fashioned perfumes her Mama had told her about. It was so pretty and special, she couldn't resist spraying herself generously with the perfume, ignoring the strong scent I favor of being like a fancy French lady. Shigeru coughed and gagged, but Yukari beamed at herself. She was so grown up that no one would call her a baby anymore!

Hair products were lined up on the counter, which was unusual for Ino. She had been in a rush this morning, and hadn't had time to put her stuff away, which was all too convenient for Yukari. She started placing fancy accessories into her hair, pulling the tangled curls up in a hilarious manner. Next, she wildly started spraying her hair down with hair spray, glossing spray, and other various products that she saw and liked, making her hair look like a Halloween wig.

Finally, the apple of every little girl's eye was in front of her: her Mama's makeup. The shades and colors delighted her, and she squealed in excitement as she decided what she should put on first. She pulled out an eyeshadow pallet full of brilliant purples, opening it like it was a treasured item- which it absolutely was for her! She ignored the brush, and instead rubbed her finger into the brightest color on the pallet. She closed her eyes, rubbing it onto her eyelids blindly, before smiling at her reflection. It was done so poorly, but the fact that she was so proud of herself made it adorable.

Next, she pulled out a bright shade of lipstick. She took the cap off, and grinned at the hot pink tube in front of her. Rolling it up all the way, she practically smeared it on ther lips and the skin around them, getting a bit of the lipstick onto the tip of her nose and her cheekbones. She kept dabbing at her lips excitedly, smashing the top of the lipstick. She finished, rolling it back down and capping the tube, then placing it in the wrong slot of the lipstick holder.

The bright rose colored blush was practically screaming at her, Use me! Use me! And so, without any care in the world, she opened it and picked up the brush. She rubbed the bristles generously back and forth until they were covered in the color, swiping it onto her cheeks in a clumsy, thoughtless motion. The color was so bright against her skin, and the blush was so imperfectly applied that Shigeru knew he was going to get into at least a little bit of trouble for this.

Yukari turned to her brother, smiling brightly. "I did it! I'm a grown up now, see!"

Shigeru nodded blankly, following his sister into her room, where she placed bubbles, crayons, and a pretend cell phone into the purse. She was so proud of herself that Shigeru felt guilty for not wanting her to do this. Still, he couldn't help but give into his sister since she was so stubborn.

Yukari walked downstairs slowly, holding up her dress as she went. She couldn't wait until her parents saw her, they would all be amazed at how grown up she was! No longer would they call her a baby, and that also meant that she could do what she wanted! They wouldn't be able to tell her to clean her room, or eat green beans, or even to take a nap! Maybe now that she was so grown up, her Grandpa would make her the Hokage. She smiled widely, reaching the bottom step and walking into the living room where she saw her Vati.

Sasuke's back was turned to the stairs, but he caught a strong wave of perfume wafting through the air, and he turned. There, looking like an absolute train wreck was his pint-sized daughter, wearing her Mama's clothes and makeup and grinning widely. She was his first daughter, and he didn't know what he was supposed to say or do in this situation. He placed his head in his hand, trying to massage the headache away.

Shigeru stepped forward nervously. "Mr. Sasuke, please don't be mad, I told her it was a bad idea but she didn't listen! Honest!"

Sasuke looked at Shigeru, who was nervous as Hell about getting punished. He shook his head, waving off the concern. "You'll be fine, Shigeru." He turned to Yukari. "You know your not supposed to play with makeup."

She huffed. "That was when I was little, and I'm grown up now!"

Ino heard the conversation and walked into the room. "And what in the world makes you think you're... Grown...up..." She trailed off as she caught sight of her daughter, and winced as she smelled the perfume. She was in shock, taking in her son's frightened expression juxtaposed to her daughter's triumphant beam.

Yukari stumbled over in the heels. "Mama, don't I look like a grown up now! See, I'm just like you!"

Ino finally brought herself back to reality, and started laughing hysterically. She could hardly breathe she was laughing so hard, and she doubled over, cheeks in pain. She wiped a tear from her eye. "Y-yes, I can see that." Oh, Lord, this was hilarious! She took out her phone, recording a video.

"Tell us what you're wearing, sweetie."

Yukari thought for a moment, "I'm wearing a hat, and a scarf, and princess shoes, and a pretty dress, and I have a purse!"

Ino giggled a little. "Will you show us what's in your purse?"

Yukari nodded enthusiastically. "I have bubbles, and crayons, and oh! I have a cell phone, too!"

Ino laughed. "Who do you call on your cell phone?"

Yukari smiled. "I call Princess Aurora and Princess Jazmine!"

"What do you talk about, now that you're grown up?"

"My job."

Ino snorted in laughter- this was too great! "Really? Where do you work?"

Yukari tossed her hair over her shoulder. "I'm the Hokage, so I work where Grandpa used to!"

Ino looked over at Sasuke, who stood there shaking his head. She turned the phone to him, and he scowled. "What does Vati think of this?"

Sasuke glared at her. "Knock it off, Ino."

Ino cracked up, turning back to Yukari. "I see you're wearing makeup. Were you going for a more natural look, or something else?"

Yukari became thoughtful, "I don't know, I just put it on!"

That much is obvious. Ino went with it. "Oh, I see. And how did you do your makeup?"

"Umm, I pulled out the purple eye stuff, and I put that on, and then I put my lipstick on, and then I put the blush on!"

"Do you have anything else that you want to tell everyone?"

Yukari nodded, becoming serious. "I'm not a baby anymore, cause I put makeup on and dressed like a grown up, so I'm a grown up now!" There was a determination in her eyes, and she really seemed to believe in her reasons. Ino frowned slightly as she ended the video.

She took the few steps separating her from her daughter, placing her hand on her shoulder. "'Kari, you're alway going to be my baby, and you can't change that. Even if you're one hundred years old, you're always my baby girl, and that's a good thing!"

Yukari started to tear up. "No! I'm a grown up now, Mama!"

Ino picked her up. "Oh, sweetie, being a grown up isn't as much fun as you think it is."

Yukari started to cry. "Yes it is! I don't want to be a baby, I hate it! I wanna grow up, now!" She sobbed into Ino's shoulder, and Sasuke walked over to them.

"I think it's about time for a nap," he whispered to Ino, who nodded.

She turned to her son. "We're going to take your sister upstairs. You can go have a snack in the meantime, ok?" He nodded, and the adults went upstairs with the sobbing three year old.

Ino stopped in front of the bathroom, speaking to Sasuke. "Can you get her stuff while I give her a bath?" Sasuke nodded, and Ino stepped into the bathroom. She set Yukari down on the toilet seat, filling up the tub with warm water. She added in bubbles, the ones that claimed a soothing scent. With a sigh, she tried to comfort her daughter.

"Sweetie, no more crying. I promise you'll grow up, now just isn't the time, ok?"

Yukari pushed her away. "No! I wanna grow up, now!" Her temper was starting to escalate as Sasuke walked in, and he wasn't going to take any of it.

"You do not speak to adults like that, do you understand me?" he growled, and Yukari burst into tears.

"But it's not faaaaaiiiiirrrrr! I don't wanna be a baby no more!"

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Then stop acting like one and crying when you don't get your way."

Yukari threw herself back, the back of her head hitting the toilet. Eyes wide, her tears came to a standstill as Ino tried to brush it off.

"You're ok, let's just get you cleaned up, ok?" Yukari gingerly touched the area where she'd been hurt, and her bottom lip quivered. Tears brimmed over and fell quietly, and the sniffling began.

Sasuke sighed in exasperation, going over to Yukari. "You're fine. If you weren't being a brat and throwing a tantrum, you wouldn't have hurt yourself, now would you?"

She looked at him pitifully, throwing herself into his chest. He sighed, letting her cry it out for a few minutes before pulling away. He placed his hands on her shoulders, as she whispered to him. "Do you ever cry, Vati?"

Sasuke shook his head. "Not since I was little. You need to behave and take your bath now." Yukari wrapped her arms around his neck, and he returned the gesture slightly. He wasn't one for showing affection, but now was one of the times he deigned it necessary. He kissed her forehead, keeping his lips pressed against her as he spoke. "Go take your bath, you reek of French perfume."

He handed her to Ino, who began to snuggle with and coddle Yukari. She undressed the child, gently placing her in the water. Yukari looked up at her Mama. "Was I at least pretty?"

Ino knew she should scold her for getting into her clothes and makeup without permission, but she just couldn't bring herself to do so. With a smile, she nodded. "You're the prettiest girl I've ever seen. Your makeup was a little too heavy, though."

"What does that mean?"

Ino laughed, pouring water over her hair. "It means that you were wearing too much."

Yukari pouted. "Oh."

Ino sighed. "When you're old enough, I'll show you how to put makeup on."

Yukari perked up. "Promise?"

Ino smiled. "Promise."

Yukari grinned. "When is old enough?"

Ino thought for a moment. "Fourteen maybe. We still haven't decided on that yet."

Yukari huffed. "But fourteen is forever! Why not seven?"

Ino laughed. "You'll by fourteen sooner than I want you to be, believe me. And seven is far too young."

Yukari sighed. "If you say so."

Ino chuckled, giving her one last rinse before pulling the plug. She walked over with the fluffy, lavender towel, wrapping it around Yukari and toweling her off. She helped the toddler get dressed, carrying her to her bedroom.

Yukari whined. "I'm not sleepy! I don't want a nap!"

Ino sighed, "Sweetie, can we not have this argument today?"

"No! No naps ever!"

Sasuke leaned against the doorway. "Yes naps. You're a nightmare when you're overtired."

Yukari whined. "No! I don't wanna! Please don't make me!"

Sasuke walked over, pushing her to lie down. "Even if I didn't make you, you would still fall asleep regardless."

Yukari shook her head. "No, I wouldn't!"

Sasuke grit his teeth in irritation. "Yes, you would, and unless you want a spanking, you're taking a nap, now."

Yukari turned away from him, crying into her pillow loudly. Ino sighed, rubbing the girl's back gently. "Shhh, naps don't take very long, and you can play again soon enough."

Yukari shook her head. "No! It's not fair! Don't make me!"

Sasuke lifted her from the bed, holding her to where she could see his face. "Listen to me. You're going to stop this right now, do you understand? No more tantrums, and no more crying. You're going to lie down and go to sleep." Yukari whined, placing her head on his shoulder and rubbing her eyes.

"I want a lullabye."

Sasuke rolled his eyes, racking his mind for something to sing. He could only think of a song in German, so he went with it.

"Schlaf' ein, schlaf' ein, schlaf' ein,  
Du gähnst schon, komm' kuschel' dich ein.  
Ich sing' dir noch ein Lied,  
Ich freu' mich so, dass es dich gibt.  
Ich wünsch' dir eine gute Nacht  
Wir seh'n uns wenn wieder die Sonne lacht,  
Schlaf' ein, schlaf' ein, schlaf' ein,  
Wir lieben dich schlaf jetzt ein,  
Wir lieben dich schlaf jetzt ein."

Yukari had become quiet, but she still wasn't asleep. With a sigh, Sasuke carried her over to the bed, where she lay quietly as he pulled the blankets over her. He straightened, and she mumbled, "Can I have a kiss?"

He nodded, leaning over and kissing her forehead softly. "Go to sleep."

She nodded, and Ino sat on the edge of the bed stroking her hair. Ino played with the curls for a little while, and Yukari's eyelids began to flutter shut. "Sweet dreams, darling." With a kiss to her forehead, Ino and Sasuke shut the door, going downstairs to spend time with their sons.

* * *

Tenten placed yet another costume on the rack. She had taken Yukari Halloween costume shopping, only to realize that the three year old was unbearably picky.

"Yukari, just pick something, please. We have to leave in fifteen minutes, so if you don't hurry up, you won't have a costume this year."

The three year old dropped to her knees dramatically. "Noooo! I have to have a costume, or I can't go trick or treating!"

Tenten sighed. "Then pick a costume! Here, why don't you go as a puppy this year?"

"That's for babies!"

Tenten sighed. "Why don't you go find a few costumes and I'll say yes or no?"  
Yukari nodded and scampered off into the store. She scanned the racks, picking out the most elaborate and glittery costumes she could find. She ended up with at least three princess costumes, a peacock costume, a kitty, and a mermaid. Beaming she showed them all to Tenten, who sighed.

"Ok, you have three princess costumes, so pick which one you like the most and we'll put the others back."

After thinking long and hard, she eventually picked out the purple one, and Tenten put the others back. It was down to four, and Tenten realized that she probably wouldn't be able to meet Hinata at the planned time. She texted the other woman to let her know, before turning back to her daughter. "Ok, which one do you like the most?"

Yukari furrowed her eyebrows. "But I like all of them."

Tenten sighed. "You can't have four costumes. You can pick one, or else I'm going to."

Yukari whined. "Noooo!"

Tenten sighed, sensing a tantrum. "I might have to, but if you pick a costume now, I won't have to do so, now will I?"

Yukari shook her head slowly. "I still can't pick."

Tenten was starting to become really irritated. "You always have next year to be something else, and the year after that, ok? Just pick one already!"

Yukari thought that over, before picking the mermaid costume. Tenten smiled- finally! They were out of the Halloween shop a few moments later, heading over to meet Hinata and Hideaki at the restaurant a few minutes later. Yukari happily greeted Hinata, hugging her tightly and kissing her cheek.

"Auntie, I missed you!"

Hinata smiled. "I missed you, too. Hideaki, come say hello."

The boy was generally very talkative, but outside of his home, he hardly ever spoke a word. He shuffled over shyly, "Hello."

Hinata sighed. She had hoped her son wouldn't inherit her introverted personality, but it seemed that he had. In general, he was alright around adults, more content to sit and quietly listen to their conversations. Around people his own age, he hardly ever spoke a word, especially around Yukari.

"We should go get our seats before it fills up too quickly." Tenten said, and Hinata nodded. They slid into a booth, ordering their food soon thereafter and catching up with each other.

"Temari said she'd be in the village next week, so we're throwing a Halloween party at the mansion, if you can come."

"Can I bring this one with me?" Hinata asked, ruffling her son's hair playfully. He pouted in response, but soon went back to his normal, shy smile.

Tenten smiled, "Of course! Speaking of Halloween, what are you going to be, Hideaki?"

He smiled. "I'm going to be an ANBU member!"

Tenten laughed. "Really? When did you decide on that?"

"Last week. There were some ANBU doing a presentation on spying last week, and it sounded really cool!"

Tenten smiled. "Well, I'm sure your uncle will be very happy to know that." Neji's bond with Hideaki was stronger than most people's bonds with their aunts and uncles, which Tenten was happy about. Her own aunts and uncles had taken advantage of her father's profits from the forge. Her father, being the kind man he was, readily helped them, yet when he had injured his back and was temporarily unable to work, they turned their backs on him. It infuriated her that they would be so awful, which was why she had personally made sure that they would not be attending her wedding. Petty as it may have been, she hated them, and couldn't care less if they burned in the deepest pit of hell.

"I can't wait to tell him! You're staying for dinner tonight, right?!"

She smiled fondly. "Yes, we are." She turned to Yukari, who had stuck two straws into her mouth and was pretending to be a walrus. "Sweetie, why don't you show Aunt Hinata your costume?"

Yukari bounced in her seat, taking the packaged costume out of the bag and holding it in Hinata's face. "Look Auntie! I'm gonna be a mermaid! Isn't it the most prettiest?!"

Hinata smiled. "Yes, it is. I can't wait to see it on you, I'm sure it'll look much more beautiful then!"

Yukari smirked. "Of course! Cause I'm the prettiest!"

Tenten shook her head at her daughter's narcissistic comment. "That's not what we say when someone compliments us."

Yukari seemed genuinely surprised. "It's not?"

"No, we say 'thank you.'"

Yukari nodded and turned to Hinata. "Thank you, Auntie!"

Hinata smiled. "Of course!" She turned back to Tenten. "I heard they just sent a delegation to speak with the Raikage, and they've also made contact with the Daimyo of the country. It seems that this time, there's a very good chance that he will sign into the alliance this time around."

Tenten sighed sadly. "That's what they tell me every time. I know they're trying their best, but I just kind of wish they'd stop giving me false hope. It's my baby they're dealing with."

Hinata could only sympathize, and she held Tenten's hand in hers. "I know, but at least you will know soon whether or not the deal worked out."

Tenten sighed. "I guess so. I don't want to talk about this, if you don't mind."  
Hinata nodded in understanding, and they discussed the petty gossip going on around the village.

Yukari drew on the placemat with crayons, not drawing anything in particular. She made a rainbow as best she could with what she had, but it was incredibly dull without her usual array of colors. She tried overlapping them to make different shades, but it was all for naught. With a sigh, she looked over to see her cousin writing something, and was instantly intrigued. She hadn't yet learned how to read, since she was only three and could barely get through the alphabet, but she was fascinated with letters and how different combinations created so many words.

"What's it say?" She asked her cousin, and he shrugged.

"It's a poem." He responded. He noticed that Yukari had slid over to sit next to him, peering curiously at the paper. "I can read it to you, if you want?"

Yukari's eyes sparkled, and she nodded enthusiastically.

Hideaki cleared his throat.

"The beauty of autumn is rarely loved,  
It means the end of summer.  
But the brilliant reds and stunning oranges  
Make the season full of wonder."

Yukari snuggled against him. "That was pretty. You use lots of big words, though!"

Hideaki smiled. "My teacher says I have a very impressive vocabulary."

Yukari scrunched up her face. "What's that mean?"

Hideaki laughed and pat her head. "It means I know a lot of words."

"Oh." She thought for a moment. "One day, I'm gonna know lots of words and beat you in a word contest!"

He smiled. "Maybe when you're older. You're not even in school yet!"

Yukari rolled her eyes. "I don't have to be in school! I'm smart, see?!"

She made a face that was supposed to be philosophical and inquisitive, but she ended up looking ridiculous. Still, Hideaki nodded and pretended that she indeed looked intelligent. He smiled as he continued to speak to his little cousin about anything and everything under the sun. She was cute, and he liked having her look up to him. He admired how brave she was, and how she was willing to do just about anything. He wished he could be like that, but his naturally cautious nature prevented him from doing so.

Yukari and Hideaki were so enraptured in their conversation that they didn't notice the silence of their mothers.

Hinata smiled. "It's almost like a brother and sister relationship, don't you think?"

Tenten smiled as well. "Yeah, it is."

* * *

Shikamaru watched as Yukari scanned over the pumpkins, trying to pick one to decorate. Of course, she wasn't looking at the small, reasonably sized ones- she was trying to find the biggest, heaviest one. She ran over to one, smiling and calling him over excitedly.

"Pere, look! I found mine!"

Shikamaru made his way over, and he nearly fainted at the sight of it. The thing was about as tall as Yukari was, and weight about five times as much as she did. There was no way he was going to carry that! Why does she always have to be this troublesome?!

He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck sadly. "'Kari, I can't carry that, so we can't take that one."

She sniffled. "But I want it, Pere. I want it bad!"

He frowned, walking over to her and picking her up. "I'm sorry, kiddo, but you can pick another one."

Yukari started to cry. "But I wanted that one! It's not the same!" She sobbed into his shoulder, and he groaned. He wondered why he had volunteered to take her to the pumpkins path, knowing that this was exactly what was going to happen. He wasn't like Naruto- he wouldn't go out of his way to give her what she wanted. Pressing a kiss to her forehead, he lead her over to some smaller pumpkins.

"I know they're not the same, but you can pick one of these." He showed her a row of reasonably sized pumpkins, and she looked up.

"I don't want one," she muttered miserably.

Shikamaru groaned. "Are you really still sulking about that?"

She glared. "I want two, Pere."

He sighed and gave in, picking up the two that she had now picked. He made his way to the front of the pumpkin patch and paid for the pumpkins, grumbling all the way about how much of a drag this had all been.

Yukari fell asleep on the ride back, and when Shikamaru showed up to the Nara Manor, he smiled as he looked at her. A nap didn't sound to bad right now, to be honest, and he carried her to the guest bedroom.

Kaori and Kanako were in the kitchen making some type of dessert that used pumpkin, as per typical of the fall season. Kaori placed the pan in the oven, with Kanako going on about how she had received the best grade in the Academy in her Strategy class. She saw him, walking over and giving him a tight hug.

"Hey Daddy. Where's sissy?"

Shikamaru rubbed her arm. "She's upstairs taking a nap. I'm probably going to do the same." He yawned, stretching his arms out and heading upstairs. He was able to sleep for an hour and a half, until Kanako woke him up again.

"Hm? What is it?" He mumbled the words mechanically, not even comprehending what he was doing.

"Daddy, we wanna get started carving pumpkins! Wake up!"

He groaned. "Alright, alright. Is your sister awake yet?"

Kanako nodded. "She's in the kitchen with Mommy. I don't know why she doesn't like her still... Mommy's always really nice to her and stuff."

Shikamaru sighed. "Yukari has a lot of people in her life, and right now, she's trying to figure out her relationships with everyone in it. It's hard for her, and she doesn't mean it when she tries to avoid certain people. She's just... Really confused about all of this, and it might take a while for her to come around. Don't worry about it, ok?"

Kanako nodded, a skeptical look on her face. Shikamaru sighed. Just like Yukari, Kanako would never let things go.

They went downstairs, where Kaori was trying to get a response out of Yukari. "Do you like pumpkin pie?"

The three year old nodded. "I guess."

Kaori sighed. "Well, are you excited to carve pumpkins this year?"

Yukari shrugged.

"Why aren't you more excited about this? Don't you think it's fun?"

Yukari frowned, turning to Shikamaru who had just walked in with Kanako. "'Cause I'm not allowed to cut them!"

Shikamaru rolled his eyes. "If I let you carve your own pumpkins, you'd carve your hand off instead."

Yukari shook her head. "But that was when I was a baby! I'm not a baby no more!"

Shikamaru shook his head. "No means no."

Kaori frowned, feeling useless. Had Yukari been all her own, she would have intervened, but the little one wasn't hers to spoil, and her interactions with the kid felt so awkward. Suddenly, she had an idea, and she smiled.

"Yukari, I know a way you can carve your own pumpkin." The toddler perked up, and Shikamaru gave his wife a warning glance.

"How?" Yukari asked, tilting her head to the side.

Kaori sat in a chair, beckoning the small girl to come over and sit on her lap. Wearily, she did, and Kaori beamed. "Alright, so you take the knife in your hand, and I'll hold my hand over yours. That way, you still get to carve it, and your father doesn't have a panic attack."

Yukari glanced at her. "He's not father, he's Pere."

Kaori nodded. "Of course! Silly me, how could I forget?!" She laughed nervously. Why did Yukari have to inherit that infamous Uchiha glare?! "Uhm, why don't you pick out the design for your pumpkin?"

Yukari nodded, glancing over the various stencils and giving each an inquisitive look. After much consideration and some indecision, she finally picked out a complicated stencil. There were extremely intricate and ornate designs of tree branches, with a cat underneath the tree and a full moon in the upper right corner. Kaori sighed. "Are you sure you want this one? It looks a little hard, don't you think?"

With a huff and a pout that strongly resembled Ino, Yukari shook her head. "No! I'm a big girl now, and I can do it!"

Kaori sighed, nodding in agreement. "Ok. First, we need to tape down the stencil so that it doesn't slip, alright?" Yukari nodded, taking a long strip of tape and covering the entire edge of the paper with it. She did so with all four sides of the paper. She used more tape in five minutes than I do in a year... Kaori thought, smiling in a way that she hoped was encouraging.

"Now, we take the pen and trace the design, and make sure to press hard on it." Yukari practically stabbed the pen into the pumpkin, and Kaori corrected her earlier statement. "Not that hard, try it more like this." She placed her hand over the girl's, adding the necessary amount of pressure and guiding her hand to trace the design.

"Beautiful." She looked down at Yukari, smiling warmly, only to get a twitch of the lips in response. "Now, we're going to use this poker and make little holes all the way around the tracing we just did." Yukari did so, initially placing multiple holes closely together. As she grew tired of that and her patience waned, the holes became so spaced out that they were hardly tracing the design at all. "Why don't you add a few more holes along this line? It looks kind of empty."

Yukari sighed dramatically, but placed a few more holes along the indicated line. Kaori picked up the jagged carving knife, handing it tentatively over to the little girl. "Hold it tight, and don't let your fingers touch the blade." Wrapping her hand around the child's, she slowly began sawing the pumpkin she'll away, carefully guiding the knife along the many edges and curves of the design. It took a lot longer than it normally would because of Yukari, but Kaori didn't mind. She was happy that the little girl was warming up to her slowly, since it had taken several months to even get the child to come near her.

Finally, it was finished, and Kaori kissed the top of Yukari's head. "It looks wonderful. I'll make sure it's in the front where everyone can see it, alright?"

Yukari smiled, then frowned. "It not done, it needs sparkles."

Kaori laughed. "Of course it does. There I go forgetting things again!"

Yukari didn't get the joke but waited patiently for the glitter paint. Shikamaru came over to her, whispering in her ear. "You should thank her for helping you with your pumpkin." Yukari nodded, and when Kaori came back, she hugged her slightly.

"Thank you, Ms. Kaori, for helping me."

Kaori frowned. "You're welcome, sweetie. But you don't have to address me so formally."

Yukari looked confused, tilting her head to the side. "But what do I call you? You're not Mommy, or Mama, or Mom, or Mum."

Kaori thought for a while. "You can call me Mere, if you want?"

Yukari nodded, smiling. "Ok, Mere!"

Kaori smiled, taking the finished pumpkin and displaying it in the front. Yukari wouldn't stop going on about how her jack-o-lantern was the prettiest, and how everyone would be jealous that she made it. Kaori didn't mind at all, and Shikamaru came up from behind her and kissed her cheek.

"Looks like we made a lot of progress today, didn't we?" He rest his chin on her shoulder, taking in the scent of her floral shampoo.

She cupped his face in her hand, smiling as she watched their daughters run around in the front years. "Yes, we did."

* * *

Temari, Kankuro, and Gaara entered the gates of the Hidden Leaf, looking around for their escorts. They waited for a few moments, before they saw Tenten and Yukari arrive, the latter throwing a temper tantrum.

"Yukari, I told you why we can't go to the park, so stop crying!"

The child dropped to her knees before lying in the dirt. "But Mommy, it's not fiar! I wanna goooooo!"

Tenten picked her up. "Stop it, or I will let Vati spank you."

Yukari stopped for a moment, before crying harder than before. Tenten sighed, and noticed that the guests were standing not even five feet away from her.  
Temari walked over and hugged her. "Looks like she's become more of a handful since I last saw her."

Tenten rolled her eyes. "Tell me about it. Things like this are happening every day, now."

Temari laughed slightly, holding her hands out for her goddaughter. When Yukari was in her arms, she coddled the three year old. "It's ok, sweetie. Auntie's here, so no more crying."

Yukari looked up, and seeing Temari, she stopped crying and smiled brightly. "I missed you, Auntie! Are you here for the party?"

Temari kissed the top of her head. "Yes, I am. Are you excited?"

Yukari frowned. "No, cause it's all boring stuff that's gonna happen."

Temari laughed, stroking the auburn-brown hair gently. "Aw, well, I'll make sure that you have fun, ok?"

Yukari beamed, hugging her godmother tightly before noticing Gaara. When she saw him, she shrieked with happiness, and Temari readily let him hold her.

Gaara gave his goddaughter a soft smile, kissing her cheek gently and hugging her tightly. She returned the gesture happily. "Uncle Gaara, I missed you so much! How come don't you visit me more?"

He sighed, pushing back her bangs. "My work requires a lot of my time, so I can't leave the village very often. If I could, I would visit you everyday."

Yukari beamed. "For real?! Make it so that you can!"

He chuckled, stroking her hair soothingly. "I'll see what I can do. You can always visit me, as well."

Tenten sighed. "Not anytime soon. She can't walk for fifteen minutes without complaining. Then again, it'd be nice to take her out of the village, if I could."

Temari sighed. "So they still won't let you take her anywhere?"

Tenten groaned. "No, they won't. And Sasuke and Neji are unbearable when I bring up the topic. They're always going on about how neither of their clans have enough influence on her, or how she isn't being brought up in a proper way. I swear, everyone else in that house is driving me nuts with all their talk of clan heritage and family tradition and whatnot!"

Kankuro spoke for the first time. "Well, maybe when she's a little older they'll let up. I mean, she just barely turned three a few months ago, and little kids don't travel very well, especially on long distance trips."

Tenten sighed. "That's true, but I still wish people would stop breathing down my neck about it."

Gaara had been listening in on their conversation while Yukari babbled on about something or other. It was cute that she always had something to say, and that she described every detail of every second. She yawned widely, and he kissed her forehead again. She started mumbling about another topic, and he rubbed her back as she started becoming drowsy.

Tenten saw this and smiled. "Let's get back to the house before someone falls asleep."

The walk there was quiet, as they were all focused on Yukari falling asleep on Gaara's shoulder. Temari reminisced about how her younger brother, upon becoming Kazekage, had sworn off on any love interests he may have had. She thought it would do him some good, and that he would make an incredible father. Seeing him with Yukari made her smile, and she thought back to a time when she had been dating a jonin.

He'd been killed on a mission, and she had never gotten over his death. She'd been planning their wedding at the time, and was looking forward to becoming a mother. Those plans came to a halt as she'd heard from her younger brother what had happened, and she was destroyed inside. About a year and a half had passed, before Tenten had announced her pregnancy. Seeing Yukari had changed her world. Although she herself might not be a mother, Tenten was now, and she had the blessing of being in Yukari's life. She couldn't ask for anything more, and she adored her little niece more than anything else in the world.

Tenten opened the front door, holding it open as they all filtered inside. Yukari had zonked out on the walk over, and she had nestled herself into Gaara's warmth. He smiled, sitting on the couch with her in his arms and looking at her face. She was truly a beautiful child, and was born a very pretty baby. Her nose twitched slightly in her sleep, along with the corners of her lips, and he stared at her lovingly. Just as he would always love and defend his village, he would always love and defend her as well.

Neji walked in from the kitchen, and gave his guests a polite nod of acknowledgement. He walked over to Gaara. "Give her to me, I'll take her to bed."

Gaara shook his head. "She's fine as she is, I don't mind holding her."

Tenten smiled, placing her hands on Neji's shoulders. "He's right, just leave her be. I honestly don't get why she can't take her naps anywhere besides her bed."

Neji sighed. "Tenten, you've spoiled our daughter too much. She won't even go to bed unless she's held anymore, whereas she used to."

Tenten shrugged. "She's always been affectionate. Besides, how often does she get to see Gaara anyways?"

He groaned. "Whatever. I don't feel like having this argument with you."

Tenten glared at him. "It isn't an argument, and I don't see why I'm always the bad guy here."

Neji returned the glare. "You're not the bad guy, and now you're just making things up. I don't know why you're always like this, Tenten. If you weren't so difficult, maybe Yukari would stop picking up on that and be more obedient." His voice had risen in volume, and his tone had become more bitter and angry. Temari, Kankuro, and Gaara remained silent, feeling extremely uncomfortable and out of place while this happened.

Tenten crossed her arms. "I'm being difficult? Really?! That's the biggest amount of bull I've heard in a while. I'd like to see you balance a career and managing Yukari's custody schedule! I'm not the one being difficult here, Neji. Honestly, I think you're just going through manopause and you need to have that stick up your ass surgically removed."

"Don't you dare swear in front of Yukari. You know that she repeats everything everyone says. Stop acting like a teenage girl, Tenten, and start being a mother for once. You know all of us help you with her, but you just don't want to admit it. Get over your self pity and grow the hell up!"

"I could say the same to you! You're almost always away on missions, or doing something or other with your clan. Do you know how many nights Yukari has come into our room crying because she doesn't know when she'll see you again? Where were you the last time she had a nightmare, or broke out with a fever at three in the morning?! Oh, that's right, you were on a mission, weren't you?! Do me a favor and get the hell out of my sight for a few hours."

Just as Neji was about to retort, he heard his daughter stirring. He turned and saw her buried into Gaara, her eyes teary and her expression fearful and upset. He bent down to touch her, but she cowered away.

"No more yelling! It's bad!" Yukari turned to her godfather, who kissed her head reassuringly and pressed her face against his chest. She took in the warm, summery scent as she cried.

Gaara gave Neji and Tenten and angry glare as he held their daughter. "No wonder she throws tantrums; she doesn't see much else of an example from her parents."

The comment stung both of them, and they at least had the decency to look ashamed. To make things worse, Sasuke and Ino just had to walk in at that moment.

Sasuke sneered. "Thanks, you two. She's going to be upset the entire night because of you."

Ino slapped his arm. "Sasuke, stop it! Now isn't the time."

He rolled his eyes. "Right, I forgot. I should help them plan their arguments to be more convenient. How does next Thursday at three sound?"

Ino glared at him, and shook her head. She turned to Neji and Tenten. "He has a point, though. You guys really need to work things out when Yukari isn't around."

Tenten glared. "Right, because I really want her to see and hear this."

Neji snapped at her. "You know, you certainly act like it sometimes."

"Oh really? Because you-"

"Don't turn this around on me!-"

"Always have to come in and start acting like every little thing-"

"Knock it off, Tenten-"

"Is my fault and you don't even realize-"

"You're the biggest part of the problem!" They yelled it at each other, and silence took over.

Sasuke watched them, and he saw his many arguments with Satomi flashing before his eyes. He scowled, angry over the fact that they thought they had the right to expose his daughter to these things. It was another thing when he himself had argued with Satomi over his son's well being, but what Neji and Tenten were doing right now was petty and ridiculous.

"Keep arguing around Yukari like this, and I will see to it that both of you lose any claim to custody over her. Is that perfectly clear?"

Neji and Tenten both stared at Sasuke, shocked at the mention of anything of the sort. He meant every word of it, and the venomous words dripped from his tone. He sighed, walking over to Gaara and holding his hands out to take his daughter from him, and Gaara complied. He himself had been infuriated with the actions of Tenten and Neji, but he would never have imagined that Sasuke would think of something so heartbreaking as taking away custody.

Yukari felt the transfer, and she looked up to see her Vati's angry face. She winced, fearing that she had done something wrong, but he stroked her hair gently.

"I-I didn't do anyth-thing, Vati!"

He hushed her. "I know you didn't. You're not hurt, so no more tears, alright?"  
She looked at him, desperately trying to hold in how upset she was and failing. He sighed, rubbing her back with his fingertips. "I'm taking her with me to the market. In the meantime, get your acts together. Ino, let's go."

The blond nodded numbly, following her boyfriend out of the mansion. As she shut the door behind herself, she wondered why Neji and Tenten, one of the happiest couples she knew, were suddenly arguing everyday. She had never wanted her friends to experience the emotional turmoil of a bad marriage, nor had she imagined that they, of all people, ever would.

* * *

The fight between Neji and Tenten wasn't yet over, but things had calmed considerably by the night of the costume party. Tenten was currently setting the dining room table when she turned around and nearly bumped into Neji. He placed his hands out to stabilize her before walking into the kitchen. She sighed. Though we share a bed, it just seems to get colder and colder between us.

Temari saw her friend standing next to the long table, slightly distraught and made her way over.

"Hey, you alright?"

Tenten shrugged. "I guess. It's just that… the fight the other day is still on my mind, and I haven't spoken to my husband in a few days. Married life sucks that way, I guess."

Temari placed her hands on her shoulders. "Yeah, I bet it does, but unless you two talk it out, you're never going to resolve the problem, are you?"

Tenten sighed. "You're right, but what he said to me still stings a bit too much for me to just forgive and forget, you know?"

"You weren't necessarily winning a Nobel prize for kindness that night, either. You pretty much accused him of being a crappy father."

Tenten winced. "I… I know, but everything's just crazy right now, and I really need a break from my hectic life."

Temari hugged her. "You know you're always welcome in the Sand when that time comes. Now, go talk to your angsty husband and set things right. I'm going to be busy spoiling Yukari."

Tenten laughed. "Alright, alright, fine."

She went into the kitchen and saw the men standing around with glasses of alcohol in their hands. Neji was leaning against the counter, a whisky in his hand. He was clearly upset and tense, and she decided not to make herself known quite yet.

Shikamaru had a gin and tonic in his hands, taking a long sip and sighing. "I told you married life sucks, but it'll get better."

Sasuke scoffed, taking a long drink from his beer. "Yeah, right. My marriage was Hell. Then again, you actually loved her, didn't you, Hyuga? Sucks when there's trouble in paradise, doesn't it?"

Neji glared at him. "Shut up, Sasuke. You don't know a thing about our relationship."

Sasuke sneered at him. "I know that your arguments are bad enough to start affecting my daughter, and I know I'm pissed as Hell about it."

"Alright, alright, let's not fight, guys!" Naruto interveined. "I mean, yeah, I don't like that they fight in front of her, either. But you're taking it way too far Sasuke!"

Sasuke rolled his eyes, but didn't deny the point that Naruto had made.

The latter continued. "Seriously though, Neji. I think you and Tenten should do some… I don't know, marriage counseling or something. You guys might learn something to counter all of these bad moments."

Choji nodded. "He has a point. No one in my family has had to go through it, but I'm pretty sure it would help."

Shikamaru groaned. "You two have to be kidding me! Marriage counseling? Don't listen to them, Neji, just talk to Tenten and you'll probably be fine."

Shino interjected for the first time. "They'll be fine for now, but what'll happen with the next fight? And the ones after that? I don't mean to stick my nose into the business of others, but these instances will affect Yukari somewhere down the road, and none of us want that to happen."

Neji sneered. "You all act as if she hasn't seen her parents arguing before. It happens almost everyday for her- she can't even get dressed without there being a huge debate over something menial! Whether or not anyone else will admit it, the fact that we constantly disagree over everything is hurting her significantly more than the few fights Tenten and I have had."

The whole room became quiet, and Tenten waited a few moments before walking in casually, pouring herself a glass of wine. The group of men stared at her, and she turned around, feigning innocence. "What?"

Shikamaru sighed. "It's nothing. So I take it everything is ready?"

She smiled slightly. "Yes. Ino just left to get the cake, but other than that everything else is done."

Choji smiled. "Good. Thank you, for everything you do around here, Tenten. I mean, not just today, but everyday, and especially for managing Yukari's schedule. It has to be hard, and I just want you to know how much I appreciate it."

Tenten's smile faulterd a little, but she forced one onto her face. She knew it didn't convince anyone, but she did so nonetheless. "Thank you, Choji. It's nice to hear that sometimes."

He smiled kindly, and she was grateful that he was part of this as well. He was always a kind father to Yukari, giving her the necessary amount of love and boundaries and always being supportive of her.

Naruto spoke as well. "He's right. Tenten, you're an amazing mother, and while I don't feel anything towards you romantically, I'm happy that you're Yukari's Mommy, if that makes any sense."

Tenten laughed. "Thank you, Naruto. I'm happy you're her Daddy, as well."

Kiba rolled his eyes. "Instead of just getting all sappy, let's just give Tenten the toast she deserves." he raised his glass. "To Tenten, for being a great Mom and all that jazz."

"To Tenten!" the others repeated, raising their glasses and taking swigs of booze.

Neji smiled slightly. "To Tenten," he murmured, knowing that she heard him. He took a small sip, keeping his eye contact with her the entire time.

The room cleared, and they stood facing each other like awkward teenagers. Tenten fidgeted, unsure of how to feel about his intent gaze on her. Luckily for her, he initiated the conversation.

"I'm sorry for what I said the other day. I guess I was just... Frustrated with everything. I really do love you, and I can never express how much I appreciate everything you do for me, for Yukari... I just want you to know that."

Tenten stared at the floor, letting the words sink in. She knew that part if being married was the occasional argument, but she thought the one that they had at Yukari's conception was going to be the most intense. The words they threw at each other were so harsh, and she loved him as well, but she was never one to forgive and forget easily.

Taking a deep breath, she looked up at him. "I'm sorry as well, and I understand your frustration since I feel it, too. But what the others have been saying is right- we can't keep fighting in front of Yukari. I love you so much, but I can't forget what you said to me, and I know the feeling is mutual."

He stared at her for a long time, before he finally found the words to say. "Yes, you're right. This fight will probably stay with us for a while, but I don't want it to be the end of our relationship." He walked over, standing in front of her and stroking her hair. "So my question for you is this: what do you want to do about it?"

She placed her hand over his. "I think that maybe... We need a vacation, just the two of us. We could finally take our long overdue honeymoon or something."

He smiled, leaning in and kissing her forehead. "That sounds wonderful. I'll make the arrangements as soon as I can."

She hugged him, letting herself relish in the long awaited comfort he offered. She smiled as she listened to how even his heartbeat was, and was prideful of the fact that he was wearing the cologne she loved on him. They stayed there for a few minutes, and the door creaked open.

"Eeeewwww! How come you guys do that?!"

Neji smiled as he looked at Yukari, standing there in her mermaid costume with her hands on her hips and her nose srunched up. He separated from Tenten long enough to pick her up, playfully kissing her face and neck. She giggled and pushed his face away, smiling the whole time. After a few minutes passed, Neji stopped, and Yukari looked at him and Tenten seriously. "Is it all better now?"

Tenten smiled. "Yes, it's all better. We're sorry you saw us fighting, but we promise it's all over."

Yukari shook her head. "No, it's not. Everyone fights about things still. It makes me sad."

Tenten and Neji shared a face, and the latter rubbed Yukari's back soothingly. "We know, but we're going to try and stop that. Don't worry about it, alright?"  
Yukari nodded, resting her head in content against his shoulder. He smiled as he felt her play with the buttons on his shoulder pocket. He was wearing an old fashioned naval uniform, complete with epaulettes and a dull sword. It fit his broad chest well, and the sleeves fit nicely around his muscled arms. He had taken the coat off since it was too warm in the house for it.

After a while, Yukari tapped his chest, indicating wordlessly that she wanted to be let down. Neji kept her there, "I need you to use your words, dear."

She pouted. "I want down."

He still didn't place her on the ground. "Be polite and say please."

"Please?"

He smiled, setting her on the ground and watching as she scampered off to go get attention from someone else.

The first person she ran into was Naruto, and she ran around him. "Look, Daddy! Look how fast I swim!"

He laughed. "Oh no, I can't keep up!"

His demon costume was fairly simple- just a plain black shirt and pants with horns and a cape. He would normally make it as horrifying as possible, since he loved scaring and surprising others, but he didn't want to give Yukari nightmares. She was the light of his life, and he wished he could retire early to spend the days with her, but he knew he had to pay his share of the household expenses. Finally, she grew tired of running, and he lifted her up.

"Grrrr, I've got you!" His playful growl made her shriek with excitement, and he held her above his head.

"No!" She didn't mean it, but it came out of her mouth. Out of everyone in her house, Daddy was the most fun to play with, mostly because he was pretty much a man child. He wrapped his arm around her waist, hanging her upside down as she laughed hysterically.

"Yes! And do you know what that means?" He held his hand out, and her eyes widened.

"No claw!"

He laughed evilly. "Yes, it's the claw!" With that, he tickled her senseless. Her face was red and she had tears rolling down her face when he finally let up. Setting her back on her feet, he squatted and kissed her cheeks. "You know I love you with all of my heart, right?"

Yukari smiled brightly. "Yeah, I know."

He laughed. "Good. And you love me, too, don't you?"

She smiled. "Yeah! I love your this much!" She stretched her arms out as far apart as they would go to demonstrate.

Naruto hugged her tightly. "You may never realize how special you are to me, but that's ok, since I know you love me back. Now, go play with your brothers and sisters, ok?" She smiled, running off to join her siblings.

The rest of the party went by in a similar manner, with Yukari being the center of attention as always. She was sitting next to Ino when Sasuke came out from the kitchen with two drinks in his hand. He looked pointedly at Yukari, who simply smiled at him.

"Hi Vati!" Her happy chirp was enough to make Ino's heart melt at how cute she was.

Sasuke gave her a small smile. "Hi." He cleared his throat, trying to indicate that she was in his seat, but the message went over her. He spoke again. "You're in my seat."

She blinked up at him. "We can share."

Ino snickered, and Sasuke glared at her. "That's nice of you, but I'm afraid we can't."

She tilted her head. "How come?"

He groaned. "Because that chair is meant for one person, not two."

She pouted. "But you left! It's mine!"

Sasuke put the drinks down on the coffee table and lifter her out of the chair despite her protests. He set her down on the floor and handed Ino her drink as he sipped at his.

Yukari stood up with her hands on her hips, giving him a glare that she'd inherited form him. Sasuke smirked. "You left. It's mine." His reply angered her, and she tried to climb up on his lap. He placed his hand against her head to prevent her from doing so, and she whined sadly when he did. After a few moments, she turned to Ino and held her arms out to be lifted, and aIno sighed.

"Use your words, sweetie."

Yukari pouted. "Up."

Ino shook her head. "Speak like a big girl."

Yukari thought for a moment. "Can I go up, please?"

Ino smiled, picking her up and kissing her cheek tenderly. Yukari stared at Sasuke before she scooted over onto his lap.

"Vati, what are you?"

Sasuke sighed. "I'm a vampire."

Yukari gave him a confused look, and he clarified. "I'm a monster that drinks blood."

She scrunched her nose up. "Are they scary?"

He nodded. "Yes, they are."

She nodded, resting her head on his chest. "I'm cold." She clenched his shirt in her hands, feeling his arms wrap loosely around her. She thought for a moment. "How do they drink blood, Vati?"

He smirked slightly, his playful side coming out. "They bite people and suck out the blood." She still looked confused, and he smirked slightly. "It's kind of like this." he said as he nuzzled her neck gently. It tickled, and she started laughing and tried to push him away. After a few moments, Sasuke stopped, his smile disappearing as he let his youngest lay in his lap.

Katsuro came over with Shigeru, and he glared at the sight of his sister in his Vati's lap. "Vati, can I sit in your lap?"

Sasuke sighed. "I already have your sister here."

Katsuro stomped his foot. "But I want to sit in your lap, please?"

With a groan, Sasuke gave in and grunted slightly at the new addition of weight. Katsuro placed his head on Sasuke's shoulder, snuggling into the man. The Uchiha sat there with his children in his lap, arms wrapped loosely around them as he drank his fruity cocktail. He wasn't much of a fan of the drink, but he just wanted to drink something that night.

Katsuro glared at his sister and pushed her away. "Go away, you take up too much room!"

She whined. "I was first!"

Sasuke grew annoyed. "Enough, you two. Stop fighting or you'll both have to get down."

Katsuro whined. "But Vati! She was on your lap longer than me, it's not fair! I just want it to be me and you!"

Sasuke rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Katsuro, hush. I don't want to deal with your whining tonight."

The boy cried. "You hate me, don't you?"

He ran off, pushing past several adults and going into his Vati's room to cry. Sasuke groaned, handing Yukari to Ino and going after his son.

Shigeru looked at his Mama shyly. "Can I sit with you two?"

She smiled. "Of course you can!" He climbed up onto her lap, and Yukari beamed. She hugged her older brother warmly, snuggling into him as Ino held them both. She couldn't be any happier that her children got along so well, especially considering how loving Shigeru was with his sister. They were almost inseparable, and they would do things together that melted her heart with joy.

The night started winding down, and Yukari became a little more than cranky. She began throwing small tantrums, one time coming close to slapping Rock Lee. Tears were streaming down her face as Tenten dressed her for bed, and she begged to stay up.

"I'll be good, Mommy! I swear! I'll be good!"

Tenten sighed. "I know you would, but it's two hours past your bedtime!"

Yukari screamed in protest as Sasuke was walking past the door. He walked in and gave her a warning glare.

"Enough, or I'll spank you into next month."

Tenten glared at him, but didn't counter it as the threat made her daughter calm down. She kissed Yukari's forehead and bid her goodnight.

* * *

In the Sound Village, Orochimaru spit up blood as his sickness overtook him for a moment. Kabuto was in the other room, preparing herbs for his medication when a kunai knife swiftly and silently struck him through the back. He gasped in pain, turning around to see who the threat was.

"Y-you!"

Sasori stood, smirking triumphantly. "Yes, it is me. It seems as though I struck at the right time, didn't I?"

Orochimaru glared at him, spitting out more blood onto the bed. "H-how did you know that I wo-would do the t-transfer tonight?"

Sasori smiled slightly. "I have my ways." He chuckled at Orochimaru's flabbergasted expression. "Don't act so surprised. One does not defect from the Akatsuki and get away with it. Why do you think we accept ion your proposal of an alliance?"

Orochimaru's throat was filled with various bodily fluids, and he gagged on his own phlem and blood, doubling over and taking his last breaths.

Sasori watched, reveling in his victory when he felt another presence join him. "Yes?"

Deidara walked into the room. "Let's get that nasty snake skin out of here, yeah? I'm itching to blow this place up!"

Sasori smirked. "Fine. Do your worst. I'll meet you at the checkpoint, don't be late."

Deidara smirked. "For you, Danna, anything."

The stillness of the night surrounding the hideout was disturbed suddenly when a massive explosion blew it to bits. Various experiments of Orochimaru's flew out and scatter among the debris and the forest ground, and Sasori couldn't help but smile at how he had finally killed that bastard of a snake. The Akatsuki could now move on to the next phase of their plan.

* * *

That is all I have for the time being! New chapter out next month! Leave me a review, it is always greatly appreciated! Please let me know if I wrote either Sasori or Deidara out of character- that's something I was concerned about.

Love you guys, Happy Halloween!


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